Haunted
by OneMoreTragicEnding
Summary: "When the time comes, who will you choose? The Order, or the Noah?" Running from the Order is never easy... AllenXRhode
1. Reveal My Darkest Honor

This here is a secret brainfart I have had =3 It is a -Man fic, inspired by the latest chapter, chapter 204 (which, might I add, made me bite my nails XD) It's manga-centered, without Allen being imprisoned for the belief of being in league with the Earl.

XD I got Rhode's song stuck in my head XD Why is it so catchy? T^T

Phlyx: Geez, I barely get any screentime, save for when you introduce a new fic! *Is somewhat pissed* But whatever! **Warnings:** Umm... blood/gore scenes (if they show up, cuz she hasn't written the whole fic yet), maybe some character bashing (Mouhahaha Lenalee bashing! 8D), aaand... An-Chan does not own -Man! ^w^ The aweshum pershon named Hoshino Katsura ish the prawd owna of eet.

**Pairing:_ AllenXRhode_** (And yes, I do spell Rhode's name like so, just because I find it looks better than the other spelling, Road.)

**Summary:** _"When the time comes, who will you choose? The Order, or the Noah?" Running from the Order is never easy..._

**Rating: T**, Because this one will stay clean (if it can) and other than some violence and all, I see no reason to put it to M =3

This will be a multi-chapter story =3

* * *

**HAUNTED**

It was hard to tell why I ran, because I didn't quite know that myself. But I felt as if something was wrong, I had to try, I had to find out. That's the thought I fuelled myself with when uncertainty crowded my mind.

Everywhere I looked, something was wrong. That shadow behind me in my reflection seemed to grow more defined, and for some reason, I grew less afraid of it. But all the people around me made everything seem… odd. Like for once, I didn't belong.

Eventually, after a few nights of searching, I could tell what I was running after. I sat on the edge of the bed of the hotel, and I knew in my mind who I was running after. And I didn't know how, but I knew that something was wrong with her.

On the sixth day, mid-afternoon, when I saw him walk into one of the taller, cheaper hotels, my suspicion grew. People barely gave me a second glance now – I did not wear the Order's coat on my back – and I knew for a fact that nothing out of the ordinary was about, because I knew, almost as well as something was wrong with her, that _he_ was out searching for her too. And he also had his suspicions.

I followed the redhead up the stairs some ways away, keeping far enough to be out of sight, but close enough to follow him. He walked to a door at the end of the hallway of the sixth floor, a light beige door with the lights on the other side creeping out through the crack underneath the door. When he walked in, I stayed just outside to listen in.

"She's waking up." A voice I've known for a while says, a rather old voice, really. Some rustling reaches my ears, the clinking of bottles, and a slight, almost soundless yelp. A thud finalizes the moment.

"We need to keep her sedated until the High Generals get here." Another familiar voice says, a female one. "They can do with her what they want."

"It makes you wonder why they didn't just use Allen Walker for a Noah to test on." The old voice says again.

"Old panda!" Another thud, followed by a complaint. My hands tightens on my knees, both hidden behind white gloves. I frown to the carpet beneath my feet.

"Lavi's right." The female voice says gently. "Allen's our friend, and he's an Exorcist. They can't just force him into the Noah state; he can't even go into it at will-"

I knock lightly on the door, having gotten to my feet before doing just that. Their voices die down, footsteps making their way to the door. A lock is clicked out of place, and the door opened. I offer a smile.

"Speak of the devil! What'cha doing here beansprout?" Lavi asks with a grin, motioning for me to get in. He closes the door behind me.

"It's Allen!" I snap. "I saw you walk by, so I thought I'd…" I'd been looking around the room as I spoke, and I let my sentence hang in the air as I find her sitting with her back against the wall, a little slumped over, but the grey skin and the black hair really isn't mistakable. Her wrists are tied together, as are her feet, and she almost seems passed out. She lifts her head up wearily as she hears me speak, golden eyes meeting mine.

"Um… why is Rhode here?" I ask, but the bound wrists and ankles kind of give it away. I keep looking at her, and even though she seems about ready to pass out, she does the same.

"Because the Order has issued a command that Exorcists are to try and capture a Noah, so that they can… find a way to eradicate them. Ever since finding out Rhode didn't die when Lavi attacked her with a Fire Seal, they've been trying to find another way to beat them." Lenalee says, sitting on the arm of a couch in the room. "The High Generals are supposed to come in two days' time for her."

"Hey, Allen…" Lavi starts as he see's the look in my eyes. "We know it might be a little hard to think of that idea, but… it was either that, or use you as a crash dummy. I prefer the first option."

"You all hate us anyways." Rhode murmurs, aiming it at Lavi and turning away so that he won't even catch her words on her lips.

"What with you… kind 'a being related to them and all." Lenalee adds, none of them having heard her words. I nod blankly.

I can't really help myself; I kneel beside Rhode and she looks at me – the air is heavy behind me, as if they're wondering what I'll do – with a question in her eyes. I look back over my shoulder to them.

"Can I talk to her… for a minute?" I ask. They nod, but make no move to leave. "Um… alone?" Silently, they leave, but I know they won't be far, and they'll listen. Nowadays, they don't trust me much, and I'm surprised no one attacked me yet.

"Hey, Rhode." She looks at me again, and I notice her wrists are pretty bloody from struggling against the restraints. "How'd you end up captured, eh?"

"I was asleep." She mutters almost resentfully. "I don't know how they found me, but they drugged me. I've had to live in this place with their yapping for five days!" She makes a face now. "I'm loosing my mind! And I can't even use the ark to escape because I can't open a gate!"

I laugh a moment at her angry face, earning a look.

"Sorry." I smile, subtly undoing the knot that bounds her wrists. "I didn't mean to laugh."

"What're you doing her, anyways?" She asks, some of her normal childish demeanour back in her voice. I shrug, now unwinding the rope from around her wrists, making sure to keep it quiet.

"I was around." I say simply, jerking at the knot at her ankles, trying to keep quiet about it. Which is why covering the sound up with our voices is a good idea. "Honestly, I'm surprised the Earl didn't find you yet."

"He's busy." She sticks out her tongue, crossing her arms wrapped in those dark ribbons over her chest. I give one last pull, the rope falling to the ground loosely. She rubs some feeling back into her ankles, while I look back behind me. I mouth the words _keep talking_ at her, so she does, covering up my whispers of my next words.

"I'll open a gate into the ark," I start in a low voice. "Then I'll close it, opening another gate somewhere else."

Now I speak to cover up her next words, as if our conversation isn't like this.

"Why are you helping me?" Rhode asks. "Aren't you one of them?"

Again, we switch roles.

"I'm on no one's side." I say lowly, standing up. She limps a little as she does the same. "I don't believe in this war."

She nods, and continues to speak as I open the gate, the melody playing in my head, glancing at the door. Eventually, just as I step through, Lavi knocks.

"Beansprout?" He asks. I push Rhode through, into the ark, quickly fumbling on closing it when I'm through; I hear the door opening when it does disappear, and a muffled '_They're gone!_' from that side. I walk to the first door, one marked with a number 15, which leads someplace a little more well-known to me. The village where Mana died. And I close that gate, too. Only then do I take a deep breath, leaning on the wall behind me.

Rhode sits down on the ground beside me, rubbing her ankles with her hands, which don't even show signs of having been bound anymore.

"Exorcists really are desperate." She makes a face. "Going all the way as to thinking of making you go into your Noah just to find out how to kill us. And what if you'd been the heart? What would have been of their precious little 'Holy Order' now?"

"Not much, actually." I admit, sliding on my back to the floor beside her. "When I last went, everything was hectic. The new headquarters are fine and all, but people are worried about the Noah… and about whether not I'm on their side."

"Well, you're not." She points out. I nod.

"Because I can't kill you guys." I say. "But I'm not on yours too, because I can't kill them, either."

"Allen." She starts flatly, looking at me with eyes that seem to say 'you're an idiot.' "The fourteenth rarely killed."

"Really? Then what'd he do?" I ask.

"The fourteenth was a Destroyer, but a great listener. It's a reason why he could control the first Ark. He was somehow always able to find out just what the Exorcists were going to do next, which gave us an advantage." She pauses a moment. "But there were times when he had to kill. And he hated it… he never liked war."

"Then… why'd he leave?" She shrugs at my question.

"Only he really knows." She stands up, somehow suddenly full of energy. She grabs me by my right hand and pulls me up. "C'mon! I want daddy to see you!" I give her a strange look, but she just runs off, so I follow before my arm should be ripped off.

* * *

I will say this right now - the first moments with the Noah almost killed me, and I'm not lying.

Rhode pulls me along through a hallway, which has dark walls with some light here and there, and is also completely empty, no sign of inhabitance other than the lights present. There really isn't much to look at, and it's also rather short, so almost as soon as I look to the other wall she comes up to a double door, pulling on the handle of one of them, making the door squeal in slight protest. She pulls me through the door, not bothering to close it as she stops somewhat near a few Noahs, some of which I recognize, some of which I don't. I notice Tyki Mikk (A.N.: Thank -Man Wiki for the names! I now know the fourteenth's name! XD) among the four Noahs, as well as Jasdero and Devito. But the fourth one is a blank to me.

"What'd you drag back with you this time, Rhode?" The unknown Noah asks, eyeing me. Tyki takes one look at me and begins to laugh - and I mean the hysterical kind, clutching his sides. Devito glares my way.

"You still owe us that debt, Cross' apprentice!" He snaps at me.

"Will you just let that go?" I snap back.

"Daddy, see?" Rhode says joyfully, while both Jasdero and Devito complain at me, so I barely hear her words. "I found Allen~"

"Looks to me like you dragged him out of some sort of rut." Tyki manages between his laughter. I glare his way.

And, let's not forget that other Noah that I don't know.

My name seems to trigger something - doesn't help as Rhode hugs me, I think, making me ask her just what she's doing - because he swipes Devito's gun and aims it at my head. Devito turns all his attention to him, jumping on him to get it back.

"Don't mind him." Tyki says, laughter dying away a little. "Sheril's always temperamental when anyone get's close to Rhode." He rolls his eyes now, gesturing his hand to the three Noahs fighting it out for a toy gun - Jasdero joined the fight, just for kicks I think.

"He's overprotective." She pouts, still holding herself to my side for some reason. "Allen wouldn't hurt me."

"That out of the way," Sheril pushes Devito off of him, glaring his way. "Isn't this kid an Exorcist?"

"On the run." I scratch the back of my head, smiling uneasily. "I can't really go back there..." I look to the wall, remembering Bookman's words.

_"It makes you wonder why they didn't just use Allen Walker for a Noah to test on..."_

"Because they were going to test on him to find a way to kill us!" Rhode says, after I'd missed a question that Sheril'd asked. "They'd kind 'a captured me somehow, and Allen'd been looking for me. He's the one who helped me out."

"So you mean to tell me that this beansprout-" He ignores my interjection at yelling, like I usually do when I'm called like that, _'It's Allen'_ "-inherited Neah Walker's Will?"

"Surprising, isn't it?" Tyki says with a smirk, leaning back on his chair. "He's really frightening if you try to get on his bad side."

Why did I find, though, that the name Neah Walker was familiar to me?

"Aw Tyki, don't be mean!" Rhode chides, laughing. And still, she's stuck against my left side like superglue. "Allen's not that bad!"

"Tell me again why the Earl wanted him on our side?" Sheril asks with a heavy sigh, making Devito and Jasdero snort in protest, but remain silent.

"I have no clue." Tyki sighs. "Rhode, go play with your new toy or something instead of just standing there." He waves her off with his hand, pointing a finger to me when he says 'new toy.'

"Wait, what?" But once again Rhode pulls me along somewhere, so I can't really have a say, can I?

* * *

Well, since I'm on a slump on my other fics, and this idea was rotting inside my skull, I decided to just post up the first chapter, see what you guys think, and if it's good, I'll continue it on Spring Break (WHICH IS HUR!) But I've been home sick from school for, what, three, four weeks now? I've barely been there this month, which sucks royally. But meh, I'm going to the Hospital on Tuesday to have my plaques looked at - which I have more now D=

Hey, did you guys notice that just about all my Fics so far are titled after a song? Paper Moon is a song, Fall Into Your Sunlight, How To Save A Life, Last Cross (Ultima Traversa, Italian for said song, mostly because the Anime/Manga has some Italian themes), Missing (Missing the Hikari) are also all songs XD And this one is named after an Evanescence song, Haunted XD (I've recently dug up my old obsession for Evanescence XD)

Hope you liked XD

_EDIT!: _I had to edit Neah Walker's role, since I just found out he was the Noah of Destruction. Which, might I say, is accorate, since Hevlaska's prophecy about Allen is him being a "Destroyer of Time." I'm actually starting to think that Allen will be the one to cause the Earl's Scene.


	2. Play Me The Symphony Of My Death

**HAUNTED**

**2**

"You've never gone into your Noah, have you?" She asks, walking in front of me with her hands behind her back, taking strides that almost resemble skipping. "Not that I've seen of, anyways."

"I've only gone into it once." I admit, scratching the back of my head, which is also home to a bruise – Sheril threw something to the back of my head as Rhode dragged me out.

"Oh? When was that?" She looks back over her shoulder, leading me aimlessly down the hallways of the Ark. Her gray skin almost makes her invisible in the darkly-lit hallway, but her white dress makes her stand out.

"It was when we were fighting Alma… the explosion. It had only been for a moment, but it had saved me from taking the whole load of damage." I look to the ceiling, which can barely be seen. "I haven't been able to since."

"You can't really control it, can you?" She asks, pushing open a door, which leads down another hallway, this one a little more lively with slightly better lighting and a black and red checkered floor.

"Not really." I laugh uneasily. "It comes and goes. Only when I play the song to move the Ark or make a gate do I have a sense that Neah is there…"

"Alright then!" She grabs me by my wrist, laughing at my protest as she pulls me along to a branching room with no door, decent lighting, and the same checkered floor. It has two couches, a fireplace, an armchair, and a piano. "Play!"

"Why?" I ask, blinking at her as she forces me down on the seat. She laughs, as if I'd just asked the stupidest question, before sitting on the top of the piano, swinging her legs.

"Because I wanna hear it!" She pouts. "Only the Earl can remember what it sounded like, and it's almost like the one for this Ark, except… different. But he's not being specific."

I sigh.

"Fine." I mutter, a back part of my mind asking why I'm here in the first place, but almost as soon as I think of that, the memory of over-hearing Louverrier speaking to Link about using me as a sort of tool resurfaces, and I shake my head to clear it.

"Did you hear me?" Rhode snaps her fingers in front of my face.

"I'm sorry." I smile slightly. "I didn't."

"I said, 'don't forget the lyrics!'" She crosses her arms over her chest. I give her a look of disbelief, but decide it's wiser to just let her have it her way, before looking to the keys a minute, fingers running over them a little. It'd been a while since I'd last played the song on a piano. But I know it by heart, even without the sheet.

Which only proves further just how used I am to those letters Mana and I came up with – but even then, I'm not sure anymore.

I begin playing the song; just because I know I won't get out of it unless I do. I find it rather smart to just let the Noahs have their way sometimes. Much less pain that way, no?

I don't miss a beat, the words to the song coming by just as well, just like that first time when the Ark was downloading, and just like when I was in the Piano room when everything was confusing. She hums to herself a while, following the sounds the weave throughout the room, and I can tell that she enjoys singing and music in general when she does that, feet swinging in time with the slow music.

Once I'm done I look at her.

"Happy?" I ask, an eyebrow raised. She stares at me a moment, her thumb on her lower lip as she thinks.

"You stop being afraid of it." She says.

"Being afraid of what?"

"The Noah. To be able to use the Noah's power, you have to stop running from it and thinking that it's another being. It's a part of you – though I've never really heard of an Apostle being like you are – completely aware of it inside you, yet unable to wield its power, save for the musician part." She hums a moment. "Then again, he was elusive…"

I laugh at that last part.

"I bet that was the case." I lean my back against the piano – I'd turned around on the bench – and look to the ceiling. She looks at me from where she is, a dark eyebrow raised. "He's talked to me before, you see. But he's never been specific about anything. Always keeping his intentions unclear, even when I ask."

"Even the Earl would agree, I think." She jumps down onto the ground, stretching her arms over her head. "Wanna go play?" I raise an eyebrow. "I have to go get something outside the Ark." She explains, not giving me much of a choice as she grabs my wrist and pulls me along – something of which I feel may happen often.

"Thanks, Rhode." She looks at me over her shoulder in question. "For telling me that."

She smiles, laughing as she pulls me through the hallways yet again.

* * *

It's near dusk when she tells me to wait by the sidewalk and dashes off towards the other side of the road, loosing herself then in the crowd. I cross my arms and lean against the fence behind me, closing my eyes and handing my head a little, which helps to hide myself a little more, the hood over my head casting a shadow over my face. People pass by – I hear their feet come closer, and every time I tense up - but they pass by without so much as a glance.

Eventually I stop tensing like a hunted rabbit at every set of footprints, just loosing myself in my thoughts, waiting for Rhode to come back from whatever she went off to do. The streetlights flicker on eventually, and I lift my head, looking around in slight concern now. The sky by then is dark and showing signs of revealing the stars, the moon still hidden by clouds over at the edge of the horizon. I don't register the next set of footprints until he clears his throat, trying to get my attention.

I snap my head around, surprised more than anything as Lavi comes into my field of vision. He grins like an idiot – no surprise there, this is Lavi we're talking about – and waves a little.

"Hey, Allen!" He says with a smile. "What're you doing here?"

"Waiting for someone." I tell him, watching him a little warily. He holds up his hands.

"Don't worry about it; I'm not gonna arrest you or anything." He laughs momentarily, as if the thought is hilarious to him. "It's just relieving to know you're not with the Noah."

I'm about to tell him otherwise, but I notice Rhode running across the street and I turn my head around.

"Allen~!" She calls, grinning. I hear the small step Lavi takes backwards as he see's her.

"Why'd it take so long?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "And what did you go get?"

"It's a secret~!" She sings, hiding the bag behind her back, lollipop stick sticking from between her lips. She grins, grabbing my wrist. "Come on! Tyki will be worried!"

"Tyki? I think Sheril will want to rip my head off instead for that." I laugh uneasily, forgetting Lavi is there as she pulls me along the streets, only remembering when we're almost at the bend. "Ah, wait, Rhode! Lavi…" I turn my head around, but when I look where he was, he's gone.

"He probably ran off when I showed up." She pouts, tugging on my wrist. "Come _on._" I follow her again, frowning to myself all the way back to the Ark; I barely notice we're back until I have to dodge a book aimed for my skull.

"Damnit Sheril! That would've _hurt!_" I snap. He slams his hand down on the armrest of his chair, standing up.

"That was the whole point!" He snaps back. Rhode laughs, skipping over to Sheril – for once letting go of my wrist.

"I see everything's lively." My head snaps up at the words, and I turn my gaze to the Earl, who'd been sitting in a chair. I hadn't noticed him. "And I also see someone's brought Allen along."

"Probably found him in some dark corner." Sheril mutters. I throw the book right back at him. The corner of it hits him on the head.

"I heard that!" He glares at me, rubbing his head where it hit.

"Now, now, settle down." The Earl chides. Reverently, Sheril and I settle for death glares. Rhode comes up to me, laughing, and pulls me to sit on the ground beside her, almost directly beside the Earl. I break the death glare contest first, now looking confusingly around me – I notice that all the Noahs, save for Skinn Bolic, are in the room, taking seats wherever possible. The only other one I recognize is Lulu Bell.

"Well, now that everyone's here," The Earl begins, glancing at each and every one of us in turn. When his eyes land on me, I stare back uncertainly. "We can begin."

"Lord Millennium?" A Noah I don't know asks.

"What is it, Toraido?" The Earl looks to the Noah.

"Isn't that kid there somewhat dangerous to have here? He's an Exorcist, after all." He looks pointedly at me, and some of the other Noah's nod their head in agreement.

"Allen's perfectly harmless." Rhode says with a grin, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

"Rhode!" I complain, but she just laughs and looks at me, smiling. I sigh.

"Then why is he here?" Toraido seems to not want to drop the subject, and the look in his eyes tells me he is hoping I'm going to be a test subject later.

"Allen Walker has gained the fourteenth's will." The Earl begins. "And, as I was told, he ran from the Order." He now looks at all of us in turn, and I feel Sheril's heated glare my way, but I ignore it. "Anything else? No, alright then, let's get on to the real matter at hand."

"The Heart?" Tyki asks, leaning back lazily in his chair.

"Precisely." The Earl nods.

"Wouldn't it be great if Allen was the Heart?" Rhode asks, laughter concealed in her voice. "It could be a great ally."

"I'm not." I tell her. "They think Lenalee's the Heart."

"Why would they think _that_?" Tyki asks, laughing a little now. I look at him, still trapped in Rhode's embrace.

"Because her Innocence protected her, when she'd lost it because she'd used 100% synchronization." I say. "They don't believe it to be me because I'm a Noah – somewhat." I add in the end.

"That's stupid." Now a different Noah that I don't know says that. "It's like if we'd rule out a Noah being an Exorcist, just because of the Order."

"Well, then," The Earl casts attention to himself again as he speaks, all heads turning to his direction. "Focus on getting this Lenalee girl; capture her, and bring her here, to me."

"Yes, Earl." Lulu Bell says stoically, and we all watch as the Earl gets up and walks away. One by one, the Noah's leave, going off in different directions and disappearing into the shadows of the Ark, until only Tyki Mikk, Rhode and myself remain. Rhode looks at me and smiles, which does little to reassure me.

"You look scared, boy." Tyki says gently, humour lying in his voice.

"It's the first time I was so near so many Noah's and the Earl without attacking them, or being attacked." I put a hand over my left eye, staring out in surprise at the ground. "It's overwhelming."

"Well, I don't know about you both, but I feel like going Exorcist hunting." Tyki stands and gives us both a smile, hands on his hips. "Are you going to come?"

I let my hand fall, thinking that one through a moment. He waits patiently.

"I have to face it someday." I start gently. "It might as well be today." Looking back to Tyki, he gives me a smile and a content nod. Rhode stands up, finally letting me go and running up to Tyki, jumping in place beside him.

"Can I come too?" She asks hopefully as I stand. Tyki just simply rolls his eyes and leads the way.

* * *

We follow him for some time, and just before we turn a corner which I presume should lead to a door out of here, he looks at me.

"Where do you think she'd be, boy?" He asks me. I scratch my cheekbone as I think.

"It depends. I'm ruling out the Order, because they probably still send her on missions, but she'll have a few people with her, that's for sure. I'm thinking around the area of a Branch, or more likely, the China Branch. She might be around that area."

"So you are useful for something." Tyki says, bemused. I give him a glare, but follow Rhode and Tyki silently, thinking about just what I'm doing.

We emerge through the gate on an area that resembles a rather large town, cobblestone paths and small houses, shops and restaurants galore. There are quite some people around, and we basically merge into the crowd, Rhode and Tyki appearing human with their pale, slightly tanned peach skin.

Soon enough we arrive to what I guess must be the town square, for there is a rather large intricate fountain surrounded by benches. A few people are sitting on the benches, and as I look at them, a couple stands up and walks away, revealing the people at the far bench. I put a hand to Tyki's arm to grab his attention, pointing to the group of people consisting of a red-head, a girl with slightly green hair, a bald man, and an older one with one lone ponytail sticking straight out of his bald head. He nods, looking at me.

"Can you tell who they are?" He asks me lowly, but we're far enough away, I believe.

"I can see Lavi; you know who that is, I think." He nods, Rhode looking at the group of Exorcists. "There's also Bookman, Noise Marie, and Lenalee. I don't know if there are any others – if there are, they're somewhere else."

"One more question." I raise an eyebrow. "Which one do you consider the most troublesome?"

"Noise Marie." I say, confident of my answer. "His innocence allows him to head things that are very far away."

"Here's _my_ question," Rhode starts with a smile, thumb on her lower lip. "How do we go about this? Sneaky or full-out?"

"Full-out. It's never fun to sneak." Tyki says, grinning. As I look at the two of them, they turn into their Noah. "Hey, boy. Do you know how to go into your Noah?"

"Umm… Rhode tried explaining it to me, but I can't really manage it." I tell him.

"You'll need to use it. It can protect you." He says. "Just do exactly what she told you."

'_You stop being afraid of it.'_ I blink, thinking, as they discuss the best way to go about this. _So I stop being afraid of Neah?_

I shrug, following them as they break into a run, just wishing that it would do so on its own as I activate, Crown Clown's cape following behind me as I follow. Noise Marie holds a hand to his right ear, and I recognize the gesture. I throw my sword down in front of them as I jump over the fountain, slamming it down in front of them as I hold onto the butt of its hilt, turning around on them. Tyki runs up and hits Lenalee somewhere on the back of her neck; she gives out a grunt and slumps down, falling unconscious.

Tyki grabs her and slings her over his shoulder as he passes, Rhode dodging Bookman's needles.

"Why are you doing this, Allen?" Lavi shouts at me, swinging his hammer. I pull Crown Clown from the ground and meet with Lavi's hammer, stopping it mid-swing. "And why do you suddenly look like a Noah?"

I don't answer; I push back his hammer and dodge the next swing by jumping back. Noise Marie starts going after Tyki, but Rhode kicks him away from his pursuit, making him recoil from the blow.

"I'll be heading back, boy!" Tyki shouts as he runs where we've come from. "Try to hurry!"

"Easy for you to say!" I snap at him, seeing Bookman run after Tyki. Rhode is occupied with Noise Marie, so as I jump back from another swing, I shout "Clown Belt!" Which then attaches to Bookman's ankle, making him trip.

"Innocence isn't to be used for the Noah, Allen!" Lavi shouts, looking very furious right now as he swings again, missing me and hitting the fountain's edge, causing a crack to appear in it. "You used to know that!"

"My innocence doesn't belong to either side." I say, staring at him coldly as I meet his hammer with Crown Clown again. "It follows what I believe in. And right now, I believe in the Noah."

"Allen!" Rhode shouts, pointing to Bookman and Noise Marie, who are incapacitated on the ground, unconscious. "Let's go!"

"No you don't!"

As I run back towards the gate with Rhode, I return Crown Clown to my arm, hearing Lavi hot on our tail, which is bad if he finds out where one of the gates is. I turn around mid run, swing my left arm in a sweeping diagonal motion, and yell "Cross Grave!"

Lavi stops dead in his tracks as he see's me do all that, eyes unbelieving as he dodges it. He remains frozen for a while, so I take that to our advantage as we loose him in the alleys and roads of the town, coming through the gate gasping. Tyki waits there, holding the unconscious Lenalee by the waist over his shoulder. He nods to the gate, gesturing at me with one hand.

"If you can control the first Ark, you can control this one." He tells me. "Close this up, just in case. We have another one leading near that area, anyways."

I look to the large rectangular black and purple gate, marked with a number -20- at the top. I hold out half-closed hand towards it, looking at it, and say "Adara."

Before my eyes it shatters, turning into thousands of tiny pieces, surprising me slightly, since I didn't really expect it to work, it being the second Ark and all. But I keep that to myself and follow Tyki and Rhode along the hallways, not looking to Lenalee's unconscious body, burying the guilt and keeping it locked away. She stirs a little in her sleep, but that's about it.

We enter a small room, where the Earl is at, and I don't really get what he's doing, but Tyki sort-of throws Lenalee on a chair, making the Earl look up in slight surprise.

"Ah, Tyki-pet." He starts in that voice of his. "You found the Heart?"

"Yeah." He shrugs. "So if we destroy her innocence and Walker's is destroyed as well, then we will know it was hers."

"Yes. Allen, stay here and help us with that, will you? No need to help in the act itself – just so we know if she is the Heart or not." The Earl says.

"It's as you wish." I nod, walking to lean against the wall, closing my arms. "It's her anklets. Her innocence is her anklets."

"I just hope it doesn't pull us a trick like your innocence did." Tyki frowns.

"That won't happen." I say with a slight laugh. "Trust me."

Rhode comes to stand beside me, remaining quiet as I watch with unblinking eyes as the Earl tries to first rip the innocence from her ankles, which proves to be a failure – no surprise – Rhode looking as if she thinks something is wrong with me. She simply wraps her hands around my arm, watching them as they decide to just flat out kill her along with the innocence.

That's when I close my eyes.

* * *

Well, I hope you enjoyed this second chapter! It's quite long for a second chapter XD And finally, installments on both DeviantArt and here and finally both up to par! =3 I got that fixed, at least.

If there are any mistakes on the Noah or something of the sort, I'll see to it fixed, and I'll tell you right now, I know very few Noah's, much less their names, so I apologize if I get anything wrong.

And it's funny, because I was listening to Stand my Ground by Within Temptation, and it fits Allen's situation perfectly, in this fic and in the Manga pretty well XD


	3. Blood on Your Hands

Finally, I remember to put this thingy! I meant to do it last time, but forgot (Heheh...)

Reviews time!

To Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan: Yeah. Adara is also the word Allen uses to close the gate when he sends Alma and Kanda away from the Order and the Earl & co., in the Alma Karma Ark. And herro, stalker! =D XD (**Reply to first comment**) Thank yew! =D

To formerly know as danni55: Thank yew =D

To Fire-Tan - Element Star: I know, right? Katekyo Hitman Reborn is a great Anime/Manga =3 And thank you =D

To The Puppeteer Master: Thank yew! And love the picture XD

Thanks for the support so far! Here's the next chapter ^m^ I'm also trying to type up the next chapters of **Paper Moon** and **Fall Into Your Sunlight**, but I'm getting so many DGrayMan brainfarts that it's making my thoughts go all over the place .

And I'm fucking scared as hell right now, 'cause for one, there was a damn 4,3 earthquake here while I was at school, and it happened right NEXT to it and I'm fucking ignoring my headache because _something_ just had to trigger that damn memory/sight, and I'm fucking grumpy as hell. So forgive my excessive cursing, I'm pissed as hell, scared shitless and tired and grumpy and _fuck_ my knee hurts and why won't these _fucking _plaques just fucking piss off?

Ignore my ranting. I had to get it out. I'll probably just message my friend later to talk to her about something x.x

* * *

**HAUNTED**

**3**

**Tyki leads us down** a street I don't really recognize, but then again, my mind is all over the place. My memories keep replaying what happened to Lenalee, but before guilt or horror or anything like that can overcome me I bury it.

_Because I accept the fact that I made my choice as to which side of this war I'm on,_ I repeat to myself over and over, letting out a breath from between my lips and feeling slightly less jitery.

"I wonder what else the Order was wrong about." Tyki says with a grin, referring to the theory of Lenalee being the Heart. It turns out she's not, because I can still use Crown Clown.

"We should just be looking for more Exorcists." Rhode says in an almost chiding tone as she walks between Tyki and me with her hands clasped behind her back. "Or that other thing he told us to do... ah, what was it...?"

"Go to one of the Branches and bring down their operations there." I tell them. Tyki nods.

"I think I remember there being one here. Do you know where it is, boy?" Tyki asks me. I shrug.

"I've never really been to Oceania before, you know." I say. Rhode looks at me a moment, before bounding off and twirling around to face us, smiling hugely.

"I'm sure it's somewhere obvious." She says with a mischievous grin. "It'll be so much fun!"

I laugh slightly at her expression, which seems to make her smile a little wider. The sight comforts me as we round the corner to an old, abandoned village with crumbling houses and signs. As we walk through it, the cross from an old church falls to the ground, picking up dust. Tyki makes a face as he approaches the church, looking to where the cross used to sit proudly, at the top of the spire of the church. I raise my eyebrows in surprise when I notice the bell still hanging on the old and worn string.

"That's a shocker." Tyki mutters. Right as he finishes, the rope snaps, making the bell fall to the ground with a loud crash. Rhode and I look at him, and he holds up his hands, nervous laugh escaping his lips.

"We should just keep looking." I say, turning back towards the village. "But something's been bugging my mind..."

"What is it?" Rhode asks, walking backwards in front of the two of us, smiling.

"You used the Ark to come get me when my innocence was lost. Why don't you just use it again?" I ask, looking pointedly to Tyki.

"The Earl opened it, not me. And if you want to complain, why don't you open one, boy?" He retorts.

"I have to have been there." I snap back.

"You're not of much use, are you?" He grins.

"Hey, I didn't-"

The three of us turn around at the sound of something hitting the ground, spotting a man in a white coat - like what Reever and the others wore - with his hands somewhat midair, a broken box at his feet.

He seems ready to bolt, and Rhode reacts before any of us can. She comes up behind the man and forces him to his knees by putting pressure on the back of his knees with her foot, one arm bent around his throat, another holding one of her candles near his throat.

"Where is the base?" She asks, and I blink at her fast reaction.

"As if I'll tell you!" He shouts. "You're the Noah! And worse... you're that Allen kid... the traitor-"

"Where is it?" I ask, stepping towards him as his frame trembles at my approach. "It'd be best not to waste our time."

"I won't-"

"Tell us! I'm not in the mood for this." I snap, voice low and kind of dangerous-sounding. Rhode looks at me in mild surprise, Tyki walking up to where I stand.

"God will punish you all-"

Now I point one of the long, knife-like claws from my left hand, to his forehead, barely an inch away, having activated, just to show him I mean it.

"Just tell us where it is and you can live." Rhode says matter-of-factly, words inlaid with too much sugar as her skin turns gray, like Tyki's, and, I notice, like mine.

"B-behind the ch-church." He says weakly. I put the claw to underneath his chin and lift it a little.

"I didn't hear you." I say pointedly, Tyki making a small sound of surprise at my action.

"Behind the church! Please, let me go!" He begs, tears streaming down his face.

"That's better." I remove my claw, de-activating and motioning to Rhode with a finger to my throat, to signal _cut him off._ She smiles almost like a vampire and stabs the candle's tip into his neck, causing him to let out a choked cry as she lets go of his neck, removing the candle and licking the blood from the tip.

"Just kidding~" Rhode sings, the candle fading away as she skips up to where we are. "You okay, Allen~?"

"Yeah." I give the dead man a blank stare. _Don't stop. Don't think about the fact that he was human, that he had family and a life. Just keep walking._ "Let's find the base already."

She doesn't seem like she believes me, but I just walk off in the direction of the church again, the top of the spire falling to the ground behind us after we pass, lifting the dirt and other particles into the air, creating a wall of dust. I turn the corner to the back of the church, and immediately notice a rather large catacomb with a wooden decorated with a metal cross, the statue of a woman with her hands clasped together and crying on the ceiling. I recon to think it's Mary, or at least I think that's what her name is. The fading light of the day is opressing as we walk to it, Tyki pushing the door open, which shows the darkened outline of stone steps that lead down for some ways. A lone torch hangs on the wall on a hook; I take it into my hand, closing the door behind me as they start to walk down the steps. I follow them, keeping my eyes low the whole time.

My mind reels back to the image of the man, the look he gave me as he realized what my motion meant - he, thinking I was an Exorcist of the Order, someone to protect the people. My hand clenches on the torch, causing the dim orange light to shake. I don't notice the look Rhode and Tyki exchange as they notice the light shaking. I close my eyes as I keep going down, the stairs almost endless - and against my will an image of the bodies of everone I know at my feet, crimson everywhere, on my hands, on the walls, a sea of blood at my feet, and I'm _laughing_ and I hear my name being called, over and over again, _Allen..._

"Allen?" Rhode's voice breaks my consciousness as she shakes my shoulder, looking concerned.

"Huh? Oh, we're here." I laugh once nervously. "Sorry about that."

Her lips turn into a deeper frown, Tyki also looking my way. I smile, but it is bland, empty, and false.

"Honestly, I'm alright." I tell them, lightening my voice, trying to appear less... mindless as my thoughts jumble around. I push the thoughts, memories and images from my mind, but I know in my gut that they'll attack me again. "So, Tyki, do you have any idea how we're going at this?"

"Easy." He shrugs, not commenting on my sudden change of subject, or the falsety of my smile that I know they both noticed. "Just destroy what you see."

"Simple enough." I scratch the back of my head. "Though I don't know what use I'll be in that department."

"The Earl actually wants us to try and get those files on the Exorcists, right?" Rhode asks. Tyki and I nod at the same time. "One of us will have to find them."

"I know what they look like, and where they might be." I tell them. Rhode nods.

"Tyki, you're good at destroying things." She laughs a little at that, and he grins to the side as he nods in agreement. "I'll help Allen look."

"Kill on sight?" He asks. Rhode nods.

"Of course." She looks at me. "It's... alright to do that, right, Allen?"

I blink at her sudden request of permission.

"Of course." I nod. "We can't really leave them alive."

"I want to make a messenger like last time!" She says joyfully, jumping up and down a few times while clasping her hands together. Tyki laughs dryly as we continue on, turning the bend in the staircase, which reveals an underground Haven.

The walls are made of dirt for some ways, of course, but there's a sort of underground waterfall, that seems like their source of water as the base itself is a few paces away, made of stone, the entrance a gated archway that reveals almost nothing except for the large stone building that falls away into the walls of dirt, managing to reveal it's larger than it looks.

Tyki lets out a low whistle, but I'm looking at the scientists and finders that are outside; some are guarding the gate, some are talking in groups, seemingly returning from a mission of some sort, and some are just on a break, the closest thing they can get to fresh air. One of the finders at the gate points in our direction - hard to miss with the torchlight shining on us, revealing the gray skin that Tyki, Rhode and - somehow - I have. He shouts something that attracts the attention of everyone. Tyki sighs, but it doesn't sound dissapointed as he grins.

"Ah, looks like we're going in with a bang!" He laughs. "Just focus on the files, boy. Let Rhode do all the dirty work."

Both Rhode and I frown at him, but he's running already, meeting the first few that make a resistance, putting his hands to their faces. They barely have the time to cry out before they fall to their knees, then their stomaches as they die. Rhode grabs my wrist and pulls me along.

"Come on, Allen! You said you knew where the files are." She says as we run through the path of destruction Tyki's left, which reminds me of a buldozer, with the bodies strewn around and the fragments of what I suppose was a wall hanging loosely.

"I do know where they are! They should be at the Branch Head's office! Come on!" I pull her down a completely different path than the one she was leading me down, the darkness more surpressed with the lighting in here, which only makes us stand out more as we run by a hallway that is one of many encircling the center of what I immagine is the East wing.

"It's Allen Walker!" I hear one of the finders yell.

"Get him!" Another yells. I shove through the crowd, heart beating fast in adrenaline, exitement, and fear as I hear the next voice, low, but it manages to reach my ears.

"Allen Walker..." I hear Cloud, one of the Generals, mutter to herself.

"Allen!" Rhode shouts. I look over my shoulder at her, and she points behind herself to the finders, to a specific person. A different General, one I don't recall too well, other than he was Kanda's master. "We'd better be close!"

"We are!" I snap back. I hear muffled cries as I turn my head back around, and I immagine Rhode's slowing them down with her candles. I don't imagine the scene; I just run, and run, and run.

I push past what I figure must be the branch head, his office not far. Just as we get to it, I say something to Rhode.

"Keep them busy and try to contact Tyki." I tell her. "I'll see to the files."

She let's go of my hand with a "Make it fast," and I hear her bubbly laughter, which probably means she's going to bring a few down with her if she goes down. I shake my head quickly to clear it of that thought as I enter the office, the small space being barely illuminated by what I figure are security golem monitors. I go right to the desk, ignoring everything else and ignoring the thought that Rhode and Tyki are in some sort of danger, and that I can tell that there's always a slim margin that they can die, which scares me and makes me look through the papers at an increased pace. I notice a bunch of TOP SECRET papers with the words _**Capture Allen Walker**_ in bold written on them, making me bite my lower lip a moment.

_Well, that solves that question of whether to go back or not._ I think before I can help it, fingers now finding the papers I was looking for. In them, as I scan them, I see Lenalee's file, written in red the words **_Presumed_ _Deceased_** on them. The words**_ The Heart?_** are also crossed out, and I notice my file as well, grinning slightly as I see the words **_Noah, Wanted Dead or Alive_** on them. There were other words as well, but they're scratched out.

I scan the rest, not noting much of importance, just ensuring that the others are there. I have to dig for Krory's in the drawers of the desk, finding it at the bottom of the last drawer. I roll my eyes and put the files, folded, in the inner pocket of my coat, focusing then on the opening of one of the gates, but not of the white Ark. It takes a few more seconds than it should, but once I open it I run back to the door, throwing it open just as Rhode runs in, Tyki laughing like a maniac as he follows, a few blood splatters on his shirt and pants, but otherwise looking like his merry old self.

"It's about time you stop fooling around, boy." Tyki says, leading the way through the gate with the number -31- on the top while they're not barging in the door. "Did you find them?"

"Of course." I tell him, patting where they are with my index finger. "I'll give them to the Earl as soon as I close the gate." Turning around on the black and red-checkered floor, I repeat the same word as before to close it. "Adara."

"I'm going to find daddy a bit." Rhode says with a smile, skipping off. Tyki rolls his eyes, turning to the right.

"Boy," he calls, making me pause. I can't see his face. "Don't let that small event get to you. There'll be much worse the longer you stick around."

"I'm ready for that." I tell him evenly, continuing to walk off. "I'll keep walking."

He simply hums once as we walk in seperate directions. I put my hands in my pockets as I walk down the red and black checkered hallway, the darkness imposing but not really feeling gloomy and lonely right now. I pass a hand through the ever-messy white hair sitting on my head, closing my eyes a moment before I gather the courage to go down the dead-end of a hallway to the door that is pure black, basically melting into the darkness. The only thing that gives it away is that the door handle, a dark shade of silver, gleams in the faint light. I take a hold of the imposing door's handle, blinking only once as I knock with a single knuckle on the old wooden door, my only hint that I am entering before I open it and enter in a slightly more brightly lit room.

I've found out that the Earl spends a lot of time in the room I can almost reffer to as the room where I fought Tyki, Lavi fought Rhode, and Lenalee and Chaoji were trapped while in the white ark - astounding, how so blatant memories try to resurface and cause guilt, and how easily I can push them back. Though the walls are stark white, as is most of the furniture in the room, it is not all that bright. Most of it is actually cast in a half-shadow, if that makes sense. A fireplace burns, but it casts barely a glow in the room as I spot the Earl seated at a rather plush armchair, reading something within time-worn pages. He looks up with that face of his as I enter, closing the door behind me silently. He closes those pages, the book looking ready to snuff out at the lightest breeze, and places it on the small white table beside the dirty-white chair. The lamp on said table does not give much light, casting off only a faint white light - the lighting in the room seems natural, even, induced by the walls themselves.

"Ah, Allen." The Earl says, hands folding in his lap. I walk to stand a few feet to his left, the small round table the obstruction between he and I. "I trust your search was sucessful, if you've come searching for me."

"It was." I say simply, taking the files from my pocket and placing them on the table, standing erect once more afterwards. "I could only bring you back these copies; there are more in the other branches."

"One is plenty enough, Allen." He looks to the files a moment, sounding almost content at my results, though I wonder silently to myself if that's even possible. "You seem uncomfortable."

"It's just been a long day." I say, offering one of those smiles I force to my lips, which is a hollow and empty promise of happiness.

"Go and relax in whatever place Tyki has thrown you in." The Earl tells me, almost like how a father would say, carressing the words; _"Go wash off that mud before your mother see's you."_ It leaves me to watch him a moment. "I believe you will enjoy the item I've asked Tyki and Sheril to put there."

_Bound to be trouble, if Sheril's involved._ The thought penetrates my skull, making the faintest ghost of a smile grace my lips.

"It's as you wish, Lord Millenium." I turn around sharply on my heels, like what a military officer might do - reminding me further of my time at the Order, but again I push the thoughts and memories and sensations back with ease.

I am just about to close the door when I hear a small, short sentence called out, "It will happen to you again."

_I know_, I think to myself as I close the door and go back the way I've come, watching my boots as I walk, my feet walking in a steady rhythm, bringing me someplace that will give me some sort of comfort. _I know._

This door is painted black as well, but the handle is a newer, finer shade of silver, fighting the darkness instead of almost embracing it. I close the door being me, gloved right hand lingering on the metal a moment as I enter the room with the calm aura.

This one is more brightly lit, maybe to make me a little more comfortable, I don't know. A fire burns brightly in the fireplace against the dark white wall, the only sign that I am not really out of the Black Ark. No windows to show where the natural light is coming from, but there are lights hanging against the walls, pushing back that natural darkness a little, lightbulbs hiding behind white frosted glass, facing towards the ground. The floor is a red and black checkered pattern, and there is a white couch facing the fireplace, with a piano in the room - maybe put there for my benefit, I don't know the answer to that question either. The room is small, quaint, and reminds me a bit of the Musician's room. I notice the little bundle on the piano's bench, and I walk to it, picking it up between my fingers and lifting it into the light, smiling a little, feeling dread leave me a little, now that maybe, just maybe, I can get rid of another trace of the Order still lingering on me.

* * *

Fucking _hell_, this damn annoying feeling's got me going all detailed on you all! Should go into it more often, ne?

_HELL NO!_ I am _not_ going through _fucking shit_ like that AGAIN! *Is glaring outside cause she can't see fuck all and only that damned image in her mind* Fuck you, fuck this day, fuck the world, _Peace Out!_


	4. Shake Her Till Your Blood Runs Cold

Well, here I am! Stuck at home because of a fever that's sprout up! I'm gonna have to apologize to my friend - I'd promised him I'd help him with the Science Lab questions. Ah, fuck.

Anyways~ This chapter can be described as relatively calm - though we do have an Angsty Allen (which is shown by the curse he says) and this isn't something too terrible, just a small chapter before the exitement begins (Might I add that this fanfic will probably be _really_ short?)

Reviews time!

To Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan: I got that off my shoulders now XD I'm just feeling under the weather now, but that's no surprise - I was expecting it *laughs* XD

And HOMFGWTFBBQ I just found out what I'll do for my best friend's birthday! I don't really know if she'll love it *mumbles incoherently for a moment* but meh, I'm broke and a gift using talent rather than money is better, ne? I'll get started on it as soon as I post this on DeviantArt. =D

And yes, **Paper Moon** and **Fall Into Your Sunlight** fans, I am almost done with the next chapter - DGrayMan is eating my life, so it's hard to make chapters right now - I've got a good five story idea's for DGrayMan, one of which I rather enjoy and will see to it being posted after **HAUNTED** is complete (and it's funny because the song Haunted by Evanescence kinda inspired this chapter a little XD) The new one I will probably call **Hand Of Sorrow**, which is also the name of my kickass favorite song by Within Temptation (has Anime-worthy beat galore and epic background music) so, my little minions, go listen to that song NAO! (And any other songs they've made, I highly reccomend them XD)

* * *

**HAUNTED**

**4**

**It was a simple** gesture if you thought about it; honestly, I didn't know they cared. Well, other than Rhode, but that's a whole different boat, bordering on the edge of obsession. But my fingers smoothed back the creases on the front of the button-up white shirt, somehow bringing me a sense of nostalgia back, but for what, I cannot remember. I then go about to finish the lacing of my boots, adjusting my white gloves and the red ribbon around my neck, before taking the remains of what connects me to the Order and looking to the fire burning softly in the small yet spacious room. I then proceed to throw it all into the burning area, all down to the gloves and the boots I used to wear, and watch it burn, the embers flying into the air and dissapearing from my sight.

Once that is done, I let out a small yawn, stretching my arms over my head until my shoulders pop into place, smiling contentedly and rolling my shoulders slightly, somewhat feeling like if the world is a little less heavy on my shoulders. I turn to the door, grabbing the black coat that I'd placed on the back of the couch, which trails nearly to the floor, stopping sky of my ankles, yet it does not button up, but it does have a hood. I slip my arms through the sleeves before I let myself out, leaving the comfortable room behind me, turning to the right and walking in the direction Tyki'd gone by, though my destination is slightly different. It is near enough to where I was previously, two rather large double doors, a dark brown blending in with the darkness, silver handles standing out in the darkness. As I open one of the surprisingly light door - given its size - a thought tears its way through my mind.

About how fortunate it is that I seem to instinctively know where everything is. But leaving that, I close the door behind me, as is a habit of mine for some odd reason. The inside of the room really reminds me of the White Ark's archives room. The walls are completely covered in books, the circular-shaped walls forming a circle around three darker-shaded couches than I've seen so far, though the room is well lit for this purpose. Lights hang from the ceiling that is as dark as the hour before dawn, the light unaffecting the unnatural and eerie darkness of the ceiling. I ignore the imposing black shadows covering the ceiling, walking to one of the shelves, somehow already knowing where to look - as if I've been here before. I slip a well-worn binding from its place, the books barely protesting, clean without a speck of dust, even if I know they're rarely used. I sit down on one of the couches, intent on just trying to forget everything for a while, pretend I'm a child again with Mana and I never got involved with the Order or the Earl in the first place.

Which works for a while.

* * *

"Hey, Allen~" I blink my bleary eyes open, first realizing a few things as Rhode's face comes into my sleepy view.

For one, the ceiling is very disturbing to look at while lying on a couch.

For the second, I'm still in the Archives.

For the third, I was asleep.

For the fourth, what - oh god she's talking again!

"Why you sleeping there, Allen?" Rhode asks, fluidly and gracefully jumping up to sit on the back of the couch as I sit up groggily, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I surpress a yawn, but it escapes me anyways. I scratch the back of my head, waiting for the numbness of sleep to leave me a little before I answer - which also gives me the time to find my voice again so I can speak coherently.

"I must have fallen asleep at some point." I say after a while, yawning again. My eyelids feel a little heavy, so I deduce it'd be best for me to get some decent sleep soon. I wonder what time it is, and what - and god I missed what she said because of my silent brooding. "Sorry, Rhode. I'm still a little sleepy. Can you repeat that?"

"I asked," She starts, voice sounding almost annoyed, but it doesn't loose it's playful edge she seems to enjoy speaking with. "Is anything bothering you? You don't seem as the type of person to spontaneously fall asleep like that."

I frown (A.N.: Wth random spelling errors (and gods I just did it again) fow teh ween?) to my feet now, not really watching Rhode, like a guilty young boy afraid to meet his mother's eyes. Sometimes it's like if I'm an open book, and she can read every last page of my story. She sits patiently, legs somewhat crossed as she watches me, head tilted slightly to the side, standing out with her gray skin and white dress.

"How can you always read me so easily, Rhode?" I ask her, looking up at her, head tilted slightly to the side now, somewhat mirroring her. She shrugs, twirling her index finger in midair as she thinks of an answer, small tongue darting from between her lips as she moistens them. I watch her intently.

"You're confused about that Lenalee incident, aren't you?" She asks, ignoring my question and her golden eyes staring anywhere but me.

"A little." I admit, scratching the back of my head a little, leaning my head back to look at the ceiling, even if it disturbs me, that darkness spreading its greedy fingers along the ceiling, making it look endless. "Understand though, that it's because she was my comrade for a while, and even though I wanted her to die at that time - and still, I don't necessarily regret my thoughts about that, as awful as they are - I also couldn't watch. It's just... I don't know, I-"

"Did you like her?" Rhode asks, but still she does not meet my eyes as I look at her.

"I don't know. She was a close friend of mine, that's all." But something ghosts Rhode's eyes, which make me think twice of my words. "Why are you curious, Rhode?" I ask, leaning forward, hands pooling between my knees as I do so. She doesn't say much for a while, before flashing me a smile that I recognize, because I've used it so many times before.

An empty and false promise at happiness.

"I was just wondering, that's all." She says, eyes closed, further reminding me of times I'd used that same smile. I want to shake her, to get her real reason from her, but I hold back the temptation to do such a thing.

"You're lying." I point out, but she just jumps to the ground, landing on her feet silently, not looking at me this time, though I see her eyes are downcast, hair casting a small shadow over her face as she turns away.

"I'm not." She says almost quietly, before closing the door behind her. I stare after her, thoughts reeling as I think back to what might have upset her. I think I sit there for a good ten minutes as I stare at the door, but my mind comes up with no logical explanation. I shrug it off, standing up and returning the bound pages to where I'd taken them, intent on going to get some rest - all the thinking I am doing is just making me more exhausted. I sigh and run a hand through my white hair, closing my eyes and trying to rub a bit of sleep from them with my fingers, just standing there in the Archives, the silence not really piercing, but uncomfortable just the same. I used to wish for silence back at the Order, but now, I almost miss the slight buzz of voices, machinery and such other things.

I push back those memories from my mind again, making my way out and slowly walking down the hallway, looking to the ceiling that is, once again, nothing but tendrils of darkness stretching out like a child's greedy hand, expecting more. My mind keeps thinking over and over, and I keep recalling that glimpse of her eyes just before she left, the sadness lurking in them, but I don't understand why she's sad; I said nothing that should've made her sad. And anyways, what would _make_ Rhode sad, other than-

Of course. I sigh and hit the palm of my hand to my forehead as I reach my door, closing it quietly behind me as I sigh, leaning against the wood with my palms pressed against it, leaning my head up to look in the direction of where the sky should be, closing my eyes with another sigh leaving my lips.

"I'm such an idiot." I whisper, opening my eyes again as I walk further into the small yet spacious room, removing the cloak from my shoulders and placing it gently against the back of the couch. I throw myself down onto the couch, back facing the fireplace as I close my eyes and put my left arm behind my head, trying to drown out my thoughts and to just get a little time to sleep, because let's face it, going without sleep for about thirty hours isn't helping me.

So I ignore all of my mind's broodings and fall asleep.

* * *

I don't know what it is that wakes me up from my sleep, but my ear twitches slightly and I groggily open my eyes, sure as the fact that there is a sun in the sky that I didn't get much sleep at all. But it's hard to tell for sure, of course. I can't really see what time it is.

With that out of the way, I sit up and surpress a yawn as I rub my eyes, grumbling under my breath about how I'll never get enough sleep, a little grumpy about that fact. I hear a small noise and look to my left, noticing the door is slightly ajar, so I look over the back of the couch, spotting dark purple spikes, and I sigh slightly, taking one between two of my fingers and tugging slightly, causing her to let out a small yelp. She looks up at me almost hesitantly.

"Rhode?" I blink, surprised. "What're you doing here?"

"I was wondering where you were, that's all." She mutters, not looking at me in the eye, golden eyes downcast. I roll my own gray ones and lift her chin up, so she has no choice but to look at me.

"You do realize I believe that as much as I believe Tyki is a girl, right?" I ask flatly, and she turns her eyes away again.

"I was worried, alright?" She mutters hesitantly, still going on with the half-incoherent talking. "And Tyki'd asked me to look for you, so...-"

"I still don't believe you, you know." She frowns deeply. "You're not the only one who can read people like that. Tell me what's really bothering you."

She throws her arm around in a sweeping motion, gesturing to the world in general.

"I hate this!" She says suddenly, causing me to reel back slightly in surprise. "Those damn Exorcists; that annoying girl; this entire planet!"

"But why?" I ask, and she stands up, probably intent on leaving. I get up and go around to her, to stop her from doing such a thing by grabbing her by the tops of her arms.

She chooses to ignore my question; instead, she tries to shake off my hold, but I just hold on tighter. "Is this about what I said about Lenalee?" I ask, because really, I have to _know_. She freezes, and I bite my lip a second, knowing I've hit the mark. "Rhode, wait-"

"I don't want to hear it!" She shouts, shooting me a piercing glare that could probably melt ice and make a volcano explode. "Do you know _how many times_ I was hurt like that before I became a Noah? I...- you don't want to know! - I'm just so confused and so, so damn _pissed off at you!_" She looks away from me, ashamed of her tears that are trickling down her gray cheeks. I grit my teeth and shake her, and God knows I want to shake her hard until some sense is knocked into her.

"Rhode, _listen to me!_" I start, words flying from my lips, things I didn't know I was capable of saying, but God knows seeing her cry is hurting, it _hurts_ me like a knife pointed right above my heart, but even worse. Worse than the time Tyki broke my innocence. "Lenalee and I were _just friends!_ How many times must I tell you? I never wanted to be anything else with her - Lavi'd kill me anyways - because I-" I stop myself short of my words, fingers loosening a little on her arms as I stop abruptly, eyes wide as I try to gain back my breath, the words I'd stopped flowing through my skull and hitting every corner, every last nerve in it, piercing it - and me.

"Say it." She hisses, not really pulling her arms from my hold anymore. I look back up at her, and the swirling tide of things I am feeling come crashing back.

"Because I love _you_, goddamnit!" I snap, which seems to shut her up, adding extra emphasis on the _you._ I shake her once, making her teeth rattle. "Why don't you see it?"

"Because you're only saying it to make me feel better." She almost whispers, before glaring at me. "Because I know you don't mean it!"

My hands shake as I try to stop myself from holding on tighter and shaking her violently. I grit my teeth.

"And _that's_ what's pissing _me_ off!" I snap back. "I don't know how to prove it to you!"

She opens her mouth to speak again, but I do to her what she did to me at the White Ark.

I kiss her.

You could say it was done somewhat violently, fueled by my anger and every last emotion seething in my veins at the moment. My hands still hold her tightly, refusing her escape - but she's shocked still, unmoving. I use that to my advantage, just to show her I mean my words. I force my tongue through her lips, and I deftly start to explore her mouth. Just as she starts shaking, arms moving slightly, I release her from her forced lip-lock, hands letting go of her arms that'd been holding onto her with a bruising force. I then take a step back, which puts me beside the cloak at the couch and a little further away from her as she has her eyes half-open, still shocked. I grab the cloak with my left hand and slip it on.

"If you still don't believe me," I start, almost whispering the words, "then just believe in what you want. I don't care." I shrug my arms into the sleeves and leave her, frozen to the spot, in the small room. I choose to open a gate leading to the first place I think of, which is a place with memories I'd rather not face, but it is the one place which may give some comfort as I slip my hood over my head, closing the gate with a whispered word, and melt into the crowd of the English streets.

I end up at a cemetery I'd rather not remember, because I stand in front of a particular headstone, one with a name that brings a jolt of pain into my heart. I sit on the ground in front of it, fingers running over the carved lettering.

"It hurts so much." I whisper to nothing and no one, knowing that no one is around, so all I speak to is the empty, stagnant air. "Mana, I... I don't know what to do anymore. Everything's so messed up..."

And I just sit there.

* * *

Night is closing in when I stand back up again, a little numb since I'd been in the same position for a good while, frowning as I feel the blood rushing back to my feet. I ignore it all, looking to the streets of one of England's smaller towns, making me smile a little despite myself. From here, I see the place where Mana and I came up with those letters. As I watch, a single snowflake drifts in front of me, and I catch it in my hands, it melting upon my touch, but slowly and silently, more fall, though it is a far cry from a snowstorm. I smile up a little to the sky littered with light gray clouds, before sighing deeply and opening a new gate, walking through it and shaking the few snowflakes from my arms and hair, closing it afterwards and starting my way back, even if my mind is swirling with the words I'd spoken while sitting at his grave; speaking about nothing too much in particular.

I wonder, dimly, if he'd be proud of me for the path I'm taking. And I also wonder if my real family, my mother and father, ever regretted leaving me to die.

Lost in those thoughts, I walk into the room I'd left Rhode in, finding her nowhere in sight. I shrug off my cloak, tossing it onto the couch and sitting down on it heavily, running a hand through my hair.

Except that the couch lets a sound of protest as I sit, and my hand pauses halfway through my hair as I let it drop and look to the uncomfortable pillow I'm sitting on.

Which, roughly said, is Rhode's legs.

"Ow." She mutters, pushing me off of them before I can say a word. She runs her hands over her calves a moment, frowning, before looking up and smiling, a bleary, half-sleeping look in her eyes. "Allen~!" She sings, quickly throwing herself at me so that she wraps her arms around my shoulders and buries her face in the crook of my neck. "I missed you." She breathes, making me shiver.

"R-Rhode." I manage to stutter. "I... can't breathe." And I'm not lying - she's hugging me quite tightly. She huffs and loosens her hold, but doesn't move. I sigh, and put an arm around her own shoulders, my left arm being trapped between her and I. Eventually, I hear her quiet, shallow and even breathing, and I know she's sleeping.

Not really being able to resist the idea of sleep, I just let her remain there while I to succumb to sleep for the third time that day.

* * *

This one is shorter than my other chapter, but this one was more or less a filler chapter, if you can call it that. Stay tuned - the weekend's coming up so I'll be writing away like a frantic little beaver!

And if you _**STILL**_ haven't listened to my command, little minion, go listen to Hand Of Sorrow by Within Temptation NAO! Or Allen will die in this fic.

I'm not kidding~ *Insert evil grin here*


	5. Take His Heart Out And Shatter Him

Alrighty, next chapter, here we are! This oen is shorter than the others by far, but there's a reason for that! My computer is litterally SNARLING and it's starting to scare me a little XD So I wanted to finish this chapter as fast as I can. And I don't know anymore if I'll make it short or if I'll put a minimum of maybe 10 chapters, which is more than I was intending to do - it depends on my idea's.

OH! And you can tell me if you have an idea of what you want me to put in here - whether it be a death scene, or something random - just let me know and I'll fit it in. It will help me make this longer. ^^

(No reviews as of right now XD)

I'll try working on the next chapters of **Paper Moon** and **Fall Into Your Sunlight** this weekened, alright? I have a bunch of stuff to catch up on at school - homework is one of them. This Chapter was inspired by the song _The Truth Beneath The Rose_ by _Within Temptation_ (I'm in a phase where their songs are aweshums even after listening to them over 50x each XD) Minions, go listen to it NAO!

And I don't know why I keep calling you all Minions XD But yheaaa...

* * *

**HAUNTED**

**5**

It is the pain in my neck that wakes me up. It is just irritating at first, easily ignored in my dreamless sleep. But then something moves on my chest and the pain flares, making me snap my eyes open, a small voice in the back of my mind reminding me to be quiet, to not let the gasp of pain be heard.

I find out the reason to that once I look at the spiky mass of dark purple hair, her face looking peaceful and nothing like the Nihilistic* girl I know. She moves subconsciously in her sleep, hands splayed on my shoulders as she breathes gently. I lift my head up and look around a moment, my neck still painfully situated on the arm of the couch. She stirs her legs a bit, probably having her own dreams as she sets her legs where they were between my own. I sigh, bringing my right hand - which isn't pinned beneath her weight - to my eyes and try to rub the sleep from them, yawning a little. Despite the pain in my neck, I can say I slept quite contentedly.

Her breathing changes, getting a little deeper, signaling me she's at least almost awake. She yawns, eyes still closed and tongue licking her lips as she stretches her legs. Her golden eyes blink open blearily and she sets her weight on her hands as she somewhat-sits and stretches, causing most of her body weight to fall on me. I bite my lower lip, letting her try and wake up a little before I nudge her with my now-free'd left hand - with the blood rushing back to it in a frenzy - to make her look at me. She blinks at me, her eyes still glazed as she is not fully awake.

"Um, Rhode?" I start. She hums, yawning again. "You can stop putting your weight on me now." I say gently, gesturing to her hands still on my shoulders.

"Aww~" She pouts, more or less awake. She lies herself back down on her stomach on me, smiling gently - quite out of character for her. But then again, there is a lot of things I don't know about her. "But it's so cozy~"

I blink at her, shoulders slumping in my shock. "But Sheryl (A.N.: Yes, I'm finally using the real spelling. Sorry; I kept forgetting (Plus this spelling of his name is much better I find)) might be wondering where you are." She grins, shaking her head with her hands now combing through the hair at the back of my head. I sigh, shrugging and closing my eyes, enjoying the feeling of her fingers going through my hair like that.

"No, he won't." I highly doubt that, even as her words leave her lips. Not far from where we are, I can hear a muffled _"Have you seem Rhode?"_ making me raise my eyebrow at the Noah of Dreams with a smirk. She brings a hand to lightly tap my cheek. "Oh don't get smug."

"I will if you don't move." I motion with my hands, making backwards waving motions twice, showing her what I mean. She sighs and, rolling her eyes, sits up between my knees as I finally sit up as well and stretch my stiff back and neck. Afterwards I yawn a bit, she watching my every move like a cat. I look at her afterwards, pausing mid-armstretch. "What?"

The door bursts open before she can respond, making both of us jolt and look to the door. Sheryl's words die on his lips as his eyes zone in on Rhode.

"See, Sheryl?" Tyki starts with a sigh, at his left and gesturing with a gloved hand. "She's perfectly safe."

"What're you doing here, Rhode?" Sheryl asks, not really having noticed me yet, of which I'm kind of grateful.

"I was waiting for Allen to get back." She says with a smile, making me raise an eyebrow. "Speaking of, where _did_ you go to, Allen?"

"Eh? Oh! I went to visit Mana." I say with a smile, Sheryl noticing me at last. My smile melts from my lips at the stare I'm getting.

"And why..." He starts casually, Tyki's golden eyes looking more and more worried as he approaches behind Sheryl, seemingly as if he's preparing to hold him back. "Are you two here alone?" Now Tyki's hands are about three inches from grasping Sheril by the arms to stop him.

"We fell asleep." Rhode says simply, and, shockingly, completely oblivious to the murderous intent in Sheryl's eyes.

"_If you've done anything to Rhode-_" Tyki grabs him by the arms tightly, rolling his eyes as Sheryl tries to break the hold and come after me. "_I'll kill you!_" I laugh nervously, scratching the back of my head.

"I've done nothing to her." I reassure him, hands in the air as if he was holding a gun aimed at me. "I came back and we talked, and fell asleep."

"Lies!" He spits, almost breaking Tyki's hold, Tyki frowning deeply.

"Ignore him." Tyki sighs. He looks in mild surprise at someone just outside the door, making a sound at the back of his throat.

"Well, I see everything's lively today, isn't it Tyki-pet?" The Earl asks, looking at Sheryl, who still wants to kill me.

"Would you mind lending a hand, Lord Millenium?" Tyki asks, laughing nervously. I send the Earl a pleading look with my eyes; Rhode just laughs everything away, nearly bent over in two as she laughs. Her forehead on my knee, she holds her sides as her face positively _glows_ with happiness. Her laugh infects me as I begin to laugh as well at the completely sporadic** event that seems to me, like one of many that may just be a part of my life now. The thought is actually comforting, and lifts my heart and spirit a little, as if I'd been unknowingly crying over something. The Earl simply grabs Sheryl by the collar and pulls him away, seemingly unaffected by Sheryl's resistance.

Rhode wipes the tears from her eyes, and I notice she's still seated between my knees, so I pull my legs back and sit cross-legged on the couch instead. Tyki gives us both an incredulous look, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Tyki, can we go find some Exorcists to play with?" Rhode asks, grinning like she does. We both raise our eyebrows at her question.

"En, I was bored anyways." He shrugs, Rhode jumping from the couch in joy. She grabs my arm and pulls me along - I barely have time to grab my cloak before she pulls me out of the room. She pauses just outside though, waiting for Tyki. Tyki motions with a hand for me to open a gate already - my brain's still scattered by when Rhode pulled me along - but I manage, thinking of the first place that comes to mind, the place near where the Black Order used to be before a Level Four akuma attacked and destroyed basically everything. Rhode skips a bit, having let go of my arm, smiling as she looks around. A faint trace of snow blankets the ground, except for the road where the horses and carriages and such pass. Footprints are everywhere, marring the snow as we begin to walk, blending in easily with the humans. I look up to the sky at where the sun is, with not a single cloud to be seen just as we pass the Church that was rumored to be 'haunted' a good while back. Now it is almost in tatters, the windows still as broken as I remember them, the gate rusted and the door left ajar, inviting anyone who needed it a roof for the night while they wait for the morning train.

Speaking of - the whistle of the train surprises me as it pierces the silence of hoofbeats, almost-still wind and gentle murmurs. I jolt in place slightly, causing Tyki to let out a laugh.

"Scared, are you, boy?" He asks. I glare pointedly at him, Rhode laughing a bit between Tyki and I.

"This is kind'a nice, though." I mutter, walking onwards in the light of the morning, the snow staying with a stubborn will despite the sun glaring at it.

"It'd be nicer if we'd find someone to play with~" Rhode says with that sadistic smile of hers, and I just roll my eyes. I open my mouth to say something, but my words turn to a small cry of 'ow' when something cold hits the back of my head. I turn around, casting the attention of Rhode and Tyki to who I'm looking at. It's obvious that it's him who threw it - there's a small patch of snow missing at his feet.

"I promised that the next time we'd meet, Allen, it would be on the battlefield." Lavi says stiffly, red hair following the wind slightly, which is now stagnant and expectant. "How could you do that to Lenalee, Allen? She was your friend!"

"You'll ask me the same thing once I do it to _you_." I hiss, but Rhode stops me from taking a step forward like I wanted to, whispering a few words in my ear. I tilt my head to the side slightly, and smile at her words.

"Tyki~" Rhode starts, skipping forward and turning her back to Lavi as she holds her hands behind her back. "Keep an eye on our backs, ne? We'll play with Bookman Junior-" She looks back at Lavi, who is holding his large hammer in white-knucled hands, and gives him a grin, her thumb at her lower lip, "-for a little while."

"Just what are you planning, Rhode?" Tyki asks.

"We're going to break him~" She sings, turning on her heels to Lavi. "That old man might be with him, so we need you to keep an eye out for him - he's always close to Lavi." I nod in agreement.

"Fine." He sighs, crossing his arms. "Have all the fun, but don't take too long."

"Oh no, no. It'll be short." She grins, making me laugh despite myself. Lavi looks at me in disbelief, and I can tell he wonders why he ever trusted me. "Okay, Bookman Junior~" She sings, skipping up to him. "Allen, you and I are going to play a little game."

"Is it like the game you made me play at the Ark?" He hisses, arms shaking.

"Very good!~" She's behind him now, and she winks at me. "Now, let's begin, shall we?~"

* * *

It's like the last time I was here - a momentary blackout, and when I blink again, I'm in the room of Noah's Dreams, and Rhode is smiling, while Lavi is passed out on the ground, not even clutching his hammer as he lies on his stomach, one leg half-bent, one arm underneath his chest as his other arm is seemingly reaching for something. The red and black checkered floor reminds me of the Black Ark.

"This'll be fun~" She laughs. She's holding onto my waist with both her hands, and as Lavi groans and begins to stir, I put my arm around her own waist and watch him as he kneels, holding his head like if it hurts him. "Rise and shine, Bookman Junior~"

That get's his attention. He snaps his head up, muttering a curse when it probably made him dizzy.

"Allen, you dirty traitor." He hisses, getting to his feet shakily. I stare at him almost blankly. "Out of all the Exorcists, I thought you were the one of us with the clearest thoughts on this war!"

"Things change, Lavi." I say gently, almost sounding bored. Rhode laughs, and I look at her.

"If you break the rules," Rhode starts, looking to Lavi. I look back at the redhead. "You'll be punished~" Rhode sings.

"You've already killed my closest comrade and tricked Allen into joining you-!"

"I did it because I wanted to, Lavi." I tell him. He ignores me.

"You can't break me any more than you already have." He hisses, fists clenched, glaring at the two of us, muttering something that sounds like _'Dirty Noahs'_ as Rhode and I both let our skin turn gray.

"You're wrong, Lavi." I say, and he looks like if he's about to snarl at me. "There's more than that, that we can use to break you."

"I'll kill you both!" He shouts, hammer in hand as he comes towards us. I simply intercept the hammer with the claws of my left hand, raising an eyebrow at Lavi.

"We could break your innocence, for one." I start gently, but my voice hides a layer of downright sadism. Rhode blinks at me as she notices it, smiling and skipping to where Lavi is. She stands a few feet away, though.

"We can break your _soul_." She whispers, making it sound like a pleasurable event as she rolls the syllables on her tongue, holding a candle in her hand, the tip on her index finger as she twists it gently. I push back on his hammer and de-activate, stepping back away from him and nearer to Rhode, keeping an eye on him.

"As well as your mind and heart." I grin, enjoying the concept despite myself. Rhode notices it and laughs, waving the tip of the candle at me in a circular motion as she does. I simply mess up her hair; she squeaks and resums what she was saying.

"Using the very person you want back." Rhode says finally. "I can make anything happen here."

"Is she dead?" He asks me harshly, his body shaking. "Allen, did you kill Lenalee?"

I put a hand to my chest, faking horror - and quite enjoying myself, too. I let a small chuckle leave my lips.

"_I_ didn't kill her, not really. Frankly, Lord Millenium did it." I stare at him evenly, hand dropping to my side. "But yes, she is dead." I smile, which probably just pisses him off. _Really_ bad.

"There's no coming back for you, is there, Allen?" He asks, his words barely a hiss. I stare at him, letting my eyes answer his stupid question. "I guess not." He then lets out a yell, coming after us. But a figure I recognize well steps up in front of us and kicks him back, much to his disbelief.

"You lied!" He shouts. "She's alive!"

"Sure she is~" Rhode sings, winking at me. "And she's going to kill you~"

To prove Rhode's point, the creation of Lenalee runs towards Lavi, who is trying to get to his feet, and kicks a cyclone of wind at him, sending him back further. He hits the wall of the area with a grunt.

"Fight your dearest pleasure, Bookman Junior." Rhode says, voice layered with the anticipation of what is to come. I find myself also excited. "And let us watch you bleed and break."

* * *

It's quickly obvious who is winning and who's loosing.

Lavi takes another kick by the creation of Lenalee, and he keeps taking her blows as she keeps kicking him, sending him back into the wall. As she kicks him in the stomach, sending him back to the wall, his hammer flies from his hold and clatters at my feet. Curious, I pick it up, and Rhode smiles.

"I highly doubt he's the Heart." She mutters, taking the weapon from me and twisting it this way and that, looking bored by her process. "Frankly, I think the Heart is a Parasite-type. Would make _much_ more sense." She throws it to the ground out of boredom, smiling as a splatter of blood falls from Lavi's mouth. "I'm going to make him kill her." She whispers, grinning. I watch the fight with intent, surprised that Lavi is enduring it as he keeps begging Lenalee to stop.

Just as she's reeling back for the next kick, Lavi closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and with a swift motion, plunges the blade into Lenalee's chest.

And falls back with three steps as he stares at what he's done in horror.

* * *

*Nihilism - (Latin 'Nihil' or 'nothing') a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake, someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief, ect.

**Sporadic - Rare and scattered in occurrence; Exhibiting random behavior; patternless. In an occasional, infrequent, or irregular manner, ect.

* * *

That was for whoever was wondering what those words meant (I myself had to search what Nihilism meant - and though I am a speaker of the Latin tongue, I did not really make the connection XD)

Anyways, stay tuned! ^^


	6. Your Screams Ignite My Soul

I'm loving the titles I give these chapters! They sound so freaking dark and gloomy but are so freaking cool =D I'm loving _Shake Her Till Your Blood Runs Cold_, though.

Reviews time!

To Laurenreadsalot: I think I'll go look that one up ^^ I've seen it a couple of times but I never listened to it XD And thank you =3

This chapter was inspired by _Aquarius_ by _Within Temptation_, which is epic. Minions, I have a new mission for you! Go listen to that song NAO!

And don't be afraid to tell me if you got an idea of what I could add to the story ^^ I like the reader's suggestions a lot XD

* * *

**HAUNTED**

**6**

**Rhode makes a sound** at the back of her throat at the sight, something caught between a sneer and a sound of surprise. Lavi is standing there, eye open wide and shaking, his body is shaking and he's almost crying as he brings his trembling hands to cover his eyes, because his mind _knew_ Lenalee was dead, but his heart didn't want to believe it, and now his mind thinks he'd killed her.

"Allen, you sick bastard!" He snarls at me, green eye furious, pupil dialated in his anger. "If you wouldn't've left, she wouldn't be dead!"

"Lord Millenium would have come for her eventually." I say flatly, Rhode smiling, and muttering an almost soundless _'oho~'_ at the look in his eyes. She's holding my right hand with both of hers, looking at Lavi with a sadistic smile on her face.

"Admit it!" He continues, ignoring my earlier words. "You were never on our side to _begin_ with! What with all that shit about saving the Noah - I should've known!" He comes running towards me, and I sigh, rolling my eyes and glaring at him head on.

"I'm getting mighty tired of you, Lavi." I sigh. Armed with only a hidden blade at his left arm, he tries to swipe at me, but I sidestep, he now standing between Rhode and I.

"I'd like to see you loose the one you care the most for! What would you be then?" He asks harshly, and Rhode sighs, rolling her own golden eyes as I sidestep another furious swipe.

"You already know the answer to that." I say flatly, catching his left wrist with ease with my right hand. "I'd hunt the person down and then wait for her next Apostle." I say with a smile that is as cunning as it is natural.

"You bastard." He snarls. "You'll go to hell for this!" He tries to punch me, but I catch that too and throw him back into the wall of the area. He grunts as he hits the wall, his head slumping slightly. I notice a trail of blood where his head dragged, and an open, bleeding wound at his head. But still he stands like if he can't feel it, but I know for a fact that a man that is determined can be unstoppable, until death wraps around him.

"And just because you're in the Order, that'll let you go to heaven?" I ask, honest to god curiosity lurking in my voice, marred by sarcasm.

"Fuck yeah!" He snarls, and as he runs, he cries out, clutching his head as he falls to his knees, gasping. I walk up deftly to him, Rhode at my heels as I point the edge of Crown Clown's sword at his head, which is staring up at me with a glare. Rhode holds onto my right side, and she stares unblinkingly at Lavi, golden eyes somewhat looking bored, but also looking proud and possessive. She has a small, barely perceptible smile on her lips.

"You're turning him into a monster." Lavi growls.

"It's what he wants. I'm not going to deny him anything~" She says, still staring at him. He glares at me once again.

"Go ahead, Allen. Kill me. But I can't wait to see what you'll pick when the time comes. Who will you pick, Allen?" He seethes. "The Order, or the Noah?"

"The Noah." I say without a moment's hesitation, bringing my right arm up to slash through him.

"Hah... guess you've truly Fallen now, Walker." He laughs once bitterly. "I'll see you in hell."

I slash the sword through his head, for once the blade meeting resistance - it hadn't met any when I'd slashed Tyki in the White Ark. His skull splits and blood, hot and life-pulsing crimson pours out, pooling onto the floor as he falls, landing into it. I remain poised with my sword over his split skull a little while, panting slightly. Rhode puts one hand on my back and rubs soothing circles on it.

"Tyki won't miss us." She starts gently. "Time passes by differently here." I nod hollowly, still looking to the blood on the edge of my sword. "Don't stare at it." She whispers. "Return it."

I do as she says silently, and once its out of my hand, I feel a little calmer. She looks at me and offers a small smile, taking both of my hands in hers. She deftly blocks my view of his corpse with her body, and just stands in front of me, holding my hands and smiling as I calm down. Once I do calm down I nod once, sighing through my nose and giving her a smile in return; she hugs me gently around my neck, and I return her embrace.

"Thank you... Rhode." I say gently, and I remember Lavi's words as I hold her there, inhaling her scent. _"I'd like to see you loose the one you care for the most! What would you be then?"_

_Nothing..._ My mind whispers, and I hold Rhode a little more tightly, eyes closing shut just a little more. A small sound of surprise leaves her throat, btu she returns it.

"Let's go back... to Tyki." I say gently, letting her go. She nods, and before my eyes, everything melts - except for her.

For a moment we stand alone in a space of massive, opressing darkness, and she flashes me a smile as I glance around. My eyes land on her, and her smile widens just as the familiar scenery comes back - the sidewalk, the grass not far away poking slightly now through the melting snow. Tyki's kneeling by Lavi's fallen body, poking him with a stick he'd found.

"He's dead, Tyki." I tell him. He looks at me with a small sound coming from his throat in surprise.

"Rhode killed him, huh?" He asks, muttering under his breath afterwards.

"No!" Rhode protests. "Allen did it. All on his own." She smiles at me, looking proud and somewhat possessive as she clings to my right arm, but I don't really mind.

"Well, I guess I've learned something unexpected." He laughs, standing to his feet and brushing off his dress pants. "Shall we return to Lord Millenium?"

"Yes. Did you destroy his innocence?" I ask as we start following Tyki the way we'd come.

"While you were busy killing him, yes." He says.

* * *

**(Time Jump two days!)**

**It actually got pretty** quiet for the two days following Lavi's death. Lord Millenium ordered all thirteen of us Noah to rest for a while - he said something about making more Akuma; trying to find the next reincarnation of the Eighth Apostle, Raasura; and something else that he mumbled that I didn't understand. But I did clearly hear the name Apocryphos.

Anyways, I walk around with my hands in my pockets, and having been given the opportunity to change clothes, I took it, almost mixing in with the darkness now with the black sleeveless shirt, the loose black pants and the black boots. The only things that make me stand out are the white gloves and my white hair, my skin gray as well, finding it fitting to just leave it. I'm just aimlessly walking around, following the sounds of clashing with barely a purpose. I push open the door, and have barely the warning of the glow on the other end as I see the tip gleaming dangerously. I let out a small, confused sound that sounds like an "Eh?" before I realize, almost too late, what it is, and I jump to the side, barely avoiding the gleaming candle by an inch, it barely grazing the tip of my nose. I watch it sink into the wall with a face that clearly speaks volumes as my golden eyes are wide and my lips are in a shocked frown.

"Sorry, Allen!" I hear Rhode yell, muttering something about butterflies as I turn to look at her. Tyki laughs as I notice they're clearly sparring, Tease after Tease going after Rhode; she impales each and every one as they come, golden eyes concentrating, but a big huge smile plastered on her face. "Tyki, can we stop?" Tyki only sighs and calls the Tease back - one pauses by my face curiously, as if it's assessing whether I'll taste good or not. Tyki calls after it with a firm voice, and it flies off to dissapear in his hand.

"Why'd you suddenly want to spar with Rhode?" I ask Tyki, breath being knocked out of me as she tackles me into a hug - though I manage to remain standing. I return her embrace, still looking at Tyki. He ignores Rhode hugging me and lights himself a cigarette, making a show of taking a drag and exhaling before answering.

"I was bored; this order from Lord Millenium has got all of us bored." He makes a face, and I nod my agreement.

"It looked fun, though." I point out; Rhode holds my left hand in both of hers as she sticks around, listening to our talk.

"It would be enjoyable to fight you - but when you're using your Noah powers." He smirks, looking around him and blowing the smoke from his nose this time.

"I think Neah wants to let Allen live, Tyki." Rhode supplies, and I look at her. "Maybe Allen could manage to learn how to use them."

"And... how would I manage that?" I ask, an eyebrow raised, a frown on my lips. She looks at me and smiles.

"Why, that's easy, Allen." She starts sweetly, and I'm getting a _very_ bad feeling about this. "You have to enter a vulnerable state~"

"And," I start nervously, willing my hands not to shake. "J-just how will you go about to do that?"

"Unfortunately," Tyki starts, looking at me with a curious gaze as I look to him. "It includes you loosing half of your sensible mind."

"I knew there was no easy- wait, what?" I'd been closing my eyes, but I snap them open.

"Rhode's going to bring back every last memory that you've locked away - the ones your mind hides from you subconsciously because it knows it will destroy you." My eyes open wide, and now I step back from the two of them, golden eyes shaking - the thing I'm the most afraid of is my own mind, because of the secrets it carries.

"Wait... there's gotta be another way!" I cry out. Rhode's eyes are haunted, and she shakes her head, looking somewhat sad.

"I'm sorry, Allen." She whispers. A nerve cracks in my skull for some reason, and I bend over in half, coughing air for no apparent reason at all, hands grabbing fistfuls of my hair. I let a cry leave my lips as things that I didn't know I remembered come crashing back, and it feels like everything is going to destroy itself, my head about to split as I see many, many images. I see Mana crouching beside me when that dog died at the Circus - I used to think Mana was a lunatic, especially when he pretended to hang himself on a noose; I see him dead, earning a new, strangled cry from my lips as I somewhat feel myself falling to my knees. I feel hands on my back, people calling my name, but I can't hear them; I see the Akuma Mana almost became; and a memory I can't remember - which includes a tall woman with brown hair and blue eyes, and a man of her height with dark hair and near-gray eyes.

I scream at that last one for some reason, it feeling more painful than all the others thus far. And then, cruel irony comes along to bite; I see a sea of blood, everything lying in scattered, broken ashes as it floats; bodies all face-down in the blood, some with their heads severed.

"Allen!" I hear Rhode shout, and she lifts my head up and shakes me a little. "Snap out of it!"

"Make it stop, Rhode!" Tyki demands warningly. He looks around himself, and the look in his eyes I catch must mean something's wrong.

"I can't!" She cries out.

"Make it go away!" I shout, feeling the ground shake, and my head snaps up in the direction of the ceiling as another cry falls from my lips, one of pained agony as a spark runs down my spine. Rhode gets me to look at her again, but everything's shaking and she's yelling and I can't hear her and-

As soon as the touch befalls my lips my breath catches in my throat and everything goes black. My last memory is of Rhode shouting my name in surprise and catching me before I smash my face to the ground.

* * *

I jolt once, gasping for breath and the air grating my throat and lungs as if I haven't breathed in days. Which then causes me to cough and grab the attention of the few people near me - but my vision is hazy so I'm having trouble seeing who they are.

Once it somewhat swims back into focus - look, I can see five Rhode's and three Tyki's! Now, if only the six Lord Millenium's would stop dancing like that... - the air is knocked right back out of me by a very worried Rhode that tackles me into a hug - despite my being somehow lying down on a couch.

"Allen!" She cries, burying her face in the crook of my neck. I gasp for breath, and Tyki, exasperated, puts a hand on her shoulder and pulls her off of me - much to her protests - and helps me sit up slowly, before handing me a glass of water. I nod my thanks, throat burning too intensely to speak, downing the glass easily enough. After that, Rhode pounces again - and doesn't let go.

I look around me, noticing a few things.

One - Rhode's eyes are completely red, maybe from crying, I don't know.

Two - I'm back in my own room.

Three - There's an odd purple fissure standing in the air randomly, a bit behind Lord Millenium to his left.

He seems to understand what I'm staring at.

"Welcome back, Allen." He starts - Rhode is leaning againt my left side as she holds her arms around my neck, looking at him sideways.

I clear my throat, hoping for the burning sensation to leave me.

"T-thank you." I manage out softly, unable to speak louder than that. I frown.

"You were out for five days!" Rhode cries out, hugging her face to my neck again. "You weren't even breathing!"

"You gave us all quite a scare, boy." Tyki laughs, but his laugh sounds relieved. "This little girl here wouldn't leave, and Sheryl threatened more than once to gut you to get you away from her."

I nod.

"What... happened?" I ask, still unable to speak too loudly. I push myself up into a more comfortable sitting position, Rhode barely being jostled during my movements. Tyki shrugs, a small bead of sweat rolling down his cheek at the memory.

"It just... shook." He says, laughing nervously. "It sounded like laughter."

I frown at that, and sigh, putting a hand over my eyes as I lean my head back against the arm of the couch.

"Why don't you let Allen rest, Rhode?" Lord Millenium asks. She shakes her head stubbornly, pouting. I laugh slightly, making them look at me.

"I don't mind if she stays... I wanted to go for a small walk, anyways - to clear my mind." Tyki nods, following Lord Millenium out of the room.

"Where do you want to go?" She asks as I push her off me gently and stand up, eyeing the fissure as I step up beside it.

"I'm just wondering..." I mutter, trying not to show the wobble in my step and the way I stagger. I poke at it, frowning and making her make a sound at the back of her throat, curiosity leaking through her very position. "I also want to go back to that room you and Tyki were at." I turn my head and smile at her, closing my eyes. When I open them again she nods, standing up and grabbing my hand, pulling me out of the room. When we walk down the hallway, I notice more of those, and I also realize that if I don't look at them dead-on, they are unnoticable - also, if I search for them, I find them. Rhode lets me to my thoughts as she pulls me back into the room.

"But why..."

She pauses as she catches me staring at her.

"What?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at my smile.

"Want to spar?"


	7. Lick The Blood Off The Walls

_Oh~ How I'm enjoying this fanfic ~_ Maybe a bit too much, but meh. I'm a hardcore DGrayMan fan, so don't blame me ;A ;

Reviews time!

To The Puppeteer Master: =D I'm glad you're enjoying it! **(To previous comment) **And I know, it's a real nail-biter. And HOMFG Our Solemn Hour is my something-favorite song they've made! =3

Shoot me if you want me to write something you've thought of in here (Scene, chapter, ect.) And I'll write it in ^^

I'm telling you right now, there is a bit of blood involved in this chapter.

_-X-They say I'm seaking out the danger -X-_

**HAUNTED**

**7**

_She pauses as she catches me staring at her._

_"What?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at my smile._

_"Want to spar?"_

**Which is how I **get into this situation. Rhode's not really holding back that much, the sadistic side of her not being able to resist a good fight. And I can tell by the look in her eyes that she knows this will be a good one.

Though I myself _am_ doing my best not to hurt her, just dodging her for a while as we playfully spar. When she misses a punch to my stomach and I sidestep it, I put the palm of my hand to the small of her back, using her momentum against her as I lightly push. She swings for my head but I duck underneath her arm, and for a moment we lock eyes, golden staring into golden as we both grin, mere inches away as I sidestep around her. She skids on her feet as she halts, hand on the ground to help her stop. Her grin widens as she charges back at me, dropping down and sweeping her leg to trip me. I mirror her smile as I jump over her leg, and as she stands I throw my own for her chin, and she dodges it with ease; coming up within a few inches of my face and smiling, a small little _"Oho~"_ falling from her lips. As we seperate, I can imagine that our little 'sparring' may look like two individuals dancing, almost.

Suffice to say we're not really being serious about the fight, much as she's enjoying it. I narrowly avoid a punch for my head, going up behind her and lightly pushing on her back again as she recovers from the punch she'd missed. She looses her balance, a foot slipping, but before she can touch the ground, she sweeps one of her legs at mine - and I, not expecting the move - making me fall to the ground barely a moment before she does.

And we both burst out laughing, Rhode rolling on the ground, and I clutching my sides, both of us laughing for no aparent reason. She decides to just lie on her side as she laughs, tears streaming down her glowing gray face - her face always seems to light up like a beacon whenever she smiles or laughs.

"That was the funniest and most amusing sparring I've ever done." She says, humor locked in her voice as she continues to lie on her side, wiping her eyes and trying to catch her breath. I nod in agreement, sighing and removing my own tears that'd slipped out while I was crying. "But, really, Allen," She turns around and lies on her stomach, facing me with her elbows propping her up as her hands hold her chin, legs up in the air and moving gently. "Why'd you want to come here?"

"I wanted to change my thoughts, remember?" I ask with a smile. She makes a little noise, which I deem is what she does when she remembers something. It sounds like something caught between a cat's meow and a bird's chirp.

"Ah! Right." She closes her eyes and smiles back at me. "I hope it worked."

"It did." I laugh, and lean against my arms behind me, looking to the ceiling that has no end. Silence becomes our company for a while, while Rhode and I think to ourselves. After a moment, though, I speak.

"Rhode...?"

"Hm? What is it?" She asks, still watching me. I look at her from the corner of my eyes just as she licks her lips.

"Who's Apocryphos? I remember Lord Millenium mentioning him, but..." I let my sentance hanging, letting my silence speak for itself.

"Apocryphos is a piece of innocence that takes the form of a human. It's sole purpose is to protect the Heart. Lord Millenium wants to find it so he can ask it who the Heart is. And Apocryphos can also tell if an innocence is strong or not, so he wants to ask it about yours - you've captured our interest, Allen~" She finishes by drawling out my name, one hand lifting a finger and making circles in the air. She winks at me. "I wonder why~"

I shrug.

"Maybe because the innocence should be fighting my Noah genes instead of embracing them?" I shoot at a random speculation, raisng a white eyebrow at her. She giggles, the sound almost melodious to me as I look at her.

"What's wrong?" She asks as she see's me looking at her.

"Nothing. It's just that-" I'm interrupted - making me growl and mutter under my breath as I turn my head rather sharply to glare at the person who's come barging in, making Rhode laugh in the process.

"Damn, boy. I didn't think it's be _that_ hard to find you!" Tyki gasps, hands on his knees as he catches his breath. I raise an eyebrow. "Lord Millenium wants to see you. And right _now._" He mutters something that sounds like _'He was pretty clear on that, too.'_

_-x- I escaped my final moment -x-_

I slow down as I get to the door, Rhode and Tyki at my heels, Tyki running like a madman because he's already exhausted, panting like if hell is on his heels. Opening the door and holding it that way for Rhode and a half-dead Tyki through, who collapses on the floor, panting heavily. I roll my eyes and shut the door.

"You wanted to see me, Lord Millenium?" I ask.

"Yes. In fact, Allen, it's a good thing you brought Rhode and Tyki-pet with you." He looks at me now, and I stare back evenly, standing with my back straight like I always did. Rhode smiles and holds on to my left arm, looking to him. Tyki just tries to regain some composire - or as much of it as you can get lying down on your stomach on the ground. "We are beginning one of the final phases of the Scene." He says. "Apocryphos has proven very willing to the questions I have asked."

"So, you know who is the Heart?" Tyki asks a little breathlessly.

"In time, Tyki-pet. In time." He shakes his head, not in a way to mean 'no,' but not in a way to mean it's feasable. "What do you think we should do first, Allen?" I blink at the request, and scratch at my cheek as I think.

"Eh... the White Ark." I tell him. He sounds genuinely surprised.

"Oh? why is that?"

"Gates there lead to every last Branch, as well to the Order itself. They use it for transportation, but their means are limited, as to the fact they cannot control it." I say evenly, not missing a beat as I stare at him head-on. Lord Millenium nods in agreement.

"And by the looks in your eyes, you have an understanding of your Noah abilities, correct?" He asks. I nod once, not in the least surprised he knows that. Rhode and Tyki both make shocked sounds, Rhode raising an eyebrow. I just smile at her. "And you also seem to want to run in there yourself blindly and cause some sort of massacre."

I laugh at that, smiling the smile I like to use that scares older men right when I'm about to play poker with them. Tyki seems to remember it well.

_-x- Because my faith is horror and doom -x-_

The familiar white gate opens up in front of me, and almost immediately Sheryl storms into it, muttering about finally being able to _kill someone_ already, whether it be human or Exorcist. Rhode rolls her eyes, tugging me along and chiding a very annoyed Tyki to hurry it up already. Sheryl waits impatiently, tapping his foot as I close the gate and turn to the small, white city that is the White Ark, memories flooding back despite myself. I smile just a bit.

"Come on!" Sheryl growls. "Show us where the main gate is already!"

"Wait a second." I spit. "And keep your voice down!"

"Just what the hell-" I give him a cold glare, which shuts him up - that, and Tyki's hand over his mouth helps, though his angry, incoherent words annoy me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

And I can still see despite them being closed. Except it's like if I'm zipping down the paths at breakneck speed, colors becoming a blur. It slows, showing me the area one of the Generals occupy, but he's sleeping - General Tiedoll, was it? - before continuing along. Other than that, two finders are stationed at the main gate - as well as a hellload of Golems stationed everywhere, guarding the place.

"Let's shatter this place to pieces." I suggest with a grin, it spreading on my face like wildfire. I hear Sheryl's protest stop at the sight, and Tyki stutters as he speaks.

"S-so, where are we going to?" He asks as I open my eyes again, turning sharply on my heel and walking left, the others scrambling after me.

"We're going to avoid Tiedoll for now." I tell them, turning to the right after a few buildings. Rhode's skipping beside me, holding onto my arm while she does so. "Sheryl, there are two finders right around the corner that you can use as puppets if you please."

Rhode rolls her eyes at the overjoyed grin Sheryl plasters on his face. He runs ahead of us, laughing manically. I sigh.

"Whatever. The gate is right here." I say, going to a rather obvious door marked with the words **Main Branch** written on a piece of paper in red, taped to the door. Tyki eyes it, eyes wide, and I laugh. "Noah can speak to each other that are a distance away, right?" I ask, Tyki nodding in response - and having it click in his mind that he could've done that instead of running all over the Black Ark searching for me.

_Sheryl,_ I start, and, through his bloodlust, he grunts and resumes his fun. _You stay behind and destroy this place. Kill anyone on sight. I'll be closing the Main Gate so that they don't escape._

Knowing he got my message, I usher the two Noahs beside me through, stepping through after them and immediately being hit with the smell of Jerry's food. I turn my back to the Order a moment, grinning contentedly as I close the gate. Feet make their way, and my grin widens as Rhode jumps up and down, clapping her hands as she hums to herself.

"Now," I start casually, turning around. The few finders pause as they spot the three of us - Noah, all of us grinning. They spot me head-on, and I give them a little wave. "Which one of you want to play a game?"

They blanch - one of them shouts something I miss as Rhode starts laughing, flashing me a smile as she now holds two candles in her hands. Tyki just grins as we stand there motionless for the hell fo it, watching as more finders and more Exorcists come - Komui is among them, as is Bookman. They spot me right off the bat. Komui grinds his teeth and Bookman looks about ready to curse at us.

"I think they all do, Allen." Rhode laughs, passing a finger over the sharp end of the candle, licking her lips in anticipation. Tyki's grin just gets wider and wider.

"Let's have fun while we wait for Toraido and all the others. They should be done with their Branches soon." He laughs. I completely agree with him as I give him a laugh of my own.

"What have you done with my sweet Lenalee?" Komui cries. I give him a 'Are you serious Komui?' look, and roll my eyes as he looks at me, eyes on fire behind his glasses. I smile very sweetly at him, using my thumb and run it across my neck.

"Just get rid of the annoying ones first." I tell them, not really bothering to whisper my words. "I think you know who I'm talking about."

"Of course we do, A~llen." Rhode sings, and her golden eyes zone out on someone in the crowd. "I call dibs on the old man!" She shouts, before jumping into the air, calling more candles as she shoots them at random people - leaving a road of death in her wake as she runs for Bookman. Tyki rolls his eyes, sighing something that sounds like _'She'll get herself killed, being reckless like that.'_ And then he opens his hands, Tease flying out of them like a fountain. I grin impishly, not wanting to be left out before the other Apostles got here as I run down, eager to try out some of my new abilities - if I was right, I wouldn't need Crown Clown, save maybe for the cape.

I turn around sharply and dodge a swipe from Krory, grinning as he almost runs someone over in his rush to turn around, lunging again.

"As much fun as it'd be to fight you, Krory," I start, not moving as he approaches me. At the last moment I lift my right arm, and Krory shudders, coughing up blood as I remove my right hand from within his body, it being a little bloody, but I don't necessarily care as I shake it off and leave the vampire hanging, to bleed to death. "I have a different prey."

I'm intercepted along the way, but every time all it takes is a swipe of my right hand, and they fall to the ground - most of them are finders, and the Generals aren't anywhere to be seen, really. A shame. As I come to the end, I find the door I'm looking for, and I hear the frantic pacing of the person behind it. I grin, placing my hand on the handle. Sparks of electricity run from the door handle and dissapear, and as I close the door, they spread to cover the whole room.

"I thought you might come for me, Noah." Louverrier spits, speaking the words like acid. I just smile.

"I figure it's time you get a taste of your own medication." I look at him from the bottom of my eyes as I slant them, not in a menacing way (kinda) as I smile a smug smile. "After all..."

"You die today, Allen Walker!" He spits, aiming for my heart with a blade clenched between his hands. I sidestep.

"Do you honestly think I came here without a plan?" I ask, using his momentum against him and putting a hand to his head, pushing it to the ground. he grunts as his face smashes against the ground, his teeth going through the skin of his upper lip and making it bleed profusely. "You'll die slowly, and painfully." I whisper in his ear as I crouch beside him, voice filled with promises of pain. I tighten my grip on his head and pull him back to his feet, only to throw him onto the nearest furniture in the room, the desk, which smashes and falls to pieces, making him fall down into its splinters as he drops the blade.

"I'm sorry." I say with a gentle smile, eyes probably burnign with hatred and anger. "I tend to get carried away sometimes."

"You sadistic devil of a man!" He spits blood from his mouth, but more flows into it from his split lip. I kneel in front of him, and grab his chin painfully, squeezing with my fingers. He grunts in pain once as I force him to look at me.

"I can kill you quite easily, you know." I tell him, a sphere of compressed dark matter forming in my left hand - the one not holding his chin - and I show him. "You have no idea what I can do, Louverrier. But personally, I think that death will be too quick for you. So," I say with a smile, the sphere fading away. "I'll make it _hurt_."

"Why-!"

"Because you make me sick." I say darkly, fingers tightening on his chin. "What I went through..." I grit my teeth, pulling him to his feet by his chin and throwing him across the room. His head hits the farthest wall with a loud thump, and he screams in pain as his skull fractures. I frown as I see his lifeless, bloody corpse on the ground, walking to it and kicking it once. "Good riddance."

I leave the room, not bothering to close the door. Right as I step out, Komui launches himself at me.

"What have you done to my Lenalee?" He cries. I sigh and shake my head, sidestepping and pushing on his back with my foot, causing him to stumble and fall. I leave him there, casting him a glare when he calls after me again. Rhode appears out of a pile of dead bodies, blood that isn't her own on her face and arms, smiling like the little devil she is.

"Are you going to do what Lord Millenium asked you to do?" She asks. I nod, bending to my knees and placing my palsm flat on the ground. I push outwards with the energy I feel bubbling in my chest, and the ground trembles as it splits; in the distance a spike forms as electricity dances across the ground, bursting from the ground, followed by a series of others that break the foundations and shatter the area, impaling any unfortunate soul around it. Rhode smiles as she watches me with amusement, and I can see Komui out of the corner of my eyes, staring at me in horror. I just stand back up and look at Rhode, giving her a smile.

And collapse.

_-x- The magic and strength of my power -x-_

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it! ^-^ The words between the '-x-'s are lyrics to songs I was listening to, and I find they're more enjoyable than the lines XD


	8. A Slave Of Your Own Demise

_*Is humming songs and switching between the two* _Gods, I have two epic songs stuck in my head, which basically became inspiration for this chapter. =3 Oh... wait, make that four.

ANYWAYS, sorry for the lack of uploads on every story; finals are coming up and I've been feeling under the weather. I also need to begin studying () for math, and I can't really be bothered to study, because, for one, it bores me; two, I'll fail if I do that; and three, I just don't like studying. I've yet to do it once since sixth grade XD I'm also deeply into my novel I'm writing (THIRD BOOK YO! Got me an interesting plot line that I ADORE!), simply because Albestör is THE BEST character I've ever come up with! /3/ Next to Vladimir, of course, but technically it's the same person.

OFF TRACK AGAIN! GAHH! _Ah, damn, I need to fix up that little piece of information on . BLEH._ As you can see_, _I'm as hyper as ever (Actually thinking on how to tease meh besteh with her bottom half of hobo business (long story short, it includes her choosing the bottom half of a hobo my other besteh of the twenty-five hobos she forced us to share XD) and that Walter my third besteh owns (Another long story short, includes my perverted besteh misunderstanding) all the while finding a foolproof defense against fifty inches (where, once again, my perverted best friend has been holding above my head for six months now, the idiot XD) which is kinda hard... meheh, she'd laugh at that pun XD)

GEEEEEHHHH! Staying home from school is NOT HELPING ME! I'm so off-track XD Haven't gotten my daily dose of craziness, I suppose.

To FaucetPuresuton: I'm sorry for the long wait (And for the half-assed chapter, really)! I'm kinda freaking out over my finals a bit, because I think I'll fail! T^T

To howlingwindofthestorm: I'm glad you enjoy it, and I'm sorry for the wait!

To Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan: I'm sorry it took so long! But I'm glad you're enjoying it =3

_-x- This is my core, what makes up my pride -x-_

**HAUNTED**

**8**

**A rough and jagged **pain rips through me as my body does a subconscious twitch, and I gasp in a breath - I seem to be passing out a lot, it seems, much to my discontent - and as I open my eyes the world swims, and surprise, surprise, I'm looking to the very disconcerting ceiling. Against my will my lips form a frown, and I sit up somewhat dizzily, a hand clutching my forehead, unable to remember _anything_. Nothing. I can only recall small things, meaningless things, and not what I feel is important - I only remember my name, and just about everything else swims around in meaningless circles in my head.

Just where am I?

I blink as I see the girl slouching against the side of the couch, sitting on the ground as she sleeps, gray skin catching most of my attention. Against my will, I bring the back of my fingers of my left hand - why do I have the feeling that my left arm has something I _need_ to remember? - and I pass them on her forehead, tilting my head to the side as I blink at her. Her golden eyes blink open, deep and endless as she looks up at me with a small, gentle smile, her eyes reminding me of an endless road.

"Allen! You're awake!" She says, gentle and child-like voice filled with relief. "The others are out; I brought you back here when you fell and hit your head."

"Is that why... I can't remember much?" I ask, blinking, fingers rubbing my forehead to relieve the pain. She looks surprised at that, but shrugs.

"I guess." She laughs a moment, and I stare at her in confusion. "Sorry - you look really funny when you're confused." I frown at that, making her laugh harder, the laugh melodious and joyful, her face lighting up like a beacon. "You should probably just rest for a while, Allen. You'll heal up in a little bit and everything should be alright when you wake up." I nod and lie back down, turning onto my side, facing away from the girl. She giggles once.

_-x- Ready, Ready, ready for the take off, michinaru sekai e to maiagarunda-x-_

_If the darkness is supposed to mean anything to me at the moment, I can't tell what it is. My mind, completely and utterly focused on the water in front of me as I let my feet dip in the cool embraces of it, fails to come up with why it nags at the edges of my thoughts. The water shines with a moon that isn't visible through the shadows, a trickling sound filling my ears nearby, hinting me of a creek or small waterfall feeding this shallow pond. I find it to be an odd dream to have, but I don't pursue the thought further, just enjoying the small respite - a respite from what, I cannot tell._

_The voices I'd not been able to hear in the distance, whispers carried by the almost-still wind, seem to fade away and come closer at the same time, confusing me further as snippets of their conversation reach me; like the darkness, I pay it no mind._

_The water feels thick as I look away from it and into the depths of the darkness above me. The darkness looks wrong, surely, and it further itches at my mind, demanding I find out just _why _it looks wrong. But again, I leave it be and return my gaze to the water below. In the far distance, I can hear someone speaking, but I hear small fragments as they repeat the same word, over and over. I look over the water at where a rock juts out of the thick, coppery-smelling water - the smell, like everything else, fails to make me realize that something is wrong - and I follow the rock with my eyes as it bobs over the water, leaving ripples as it floats, travelling all around. As it passes by my feet, I push it with my right foot, causing it to topple over and tilt, turning around on itself._

_Only then do I realize that it's not a rock - it's a person, or, rather, the corpse of what was once a person. The idea of that, so simplistic and so... ordinary, begins to shatter what I'd figured as normal in this dream._

_Another corpse follows the first, both of their faces forever chiseled with wide eyes and open mouths, as if to scream silently to the heavens. The eternal darkness in the sky disperses like mist, revealing a blood-red moon that casts a voilent red light on the scene; their skin turns red, the water an even darker shade of red than it already was, and everything in between takes on different hues of red. I stand, but the corpse nearest me, of a girl with short green hair and voilet eyes that I can't recall the name of - though I know I should - grabs one of my ankles, as if suddenly brought to life by the moon, lips moving as she whispers words that send chills down my spine and makes me pause. She begins to tug, while I remain frozen at her words._

_"You betrayed us..." She whispers, and only then do I begin to fight the grip, eyes wide and somehow afraid, though I can't figure out why as I lay on the ground, arms shaking as they barely manage to hold me up as I gasp, the two corpses moving and standing in the water, tattered remains of their clothes barely clinging onto their backs._

_"Wait... Lavi... Lenalee..." I gasp out, watching in horror as the two aforementioned corpses climb out of the shallow pond, thick red blood that was acting in the guise of water trickling down their pale and decaying skin. My eyes wide, watching and unable to move. Something touches my shoulder, and I almost jump up five feet in the air at the touch, as nervous as can be as I get to my feet in record time and turn around, taking a step back from the figure kneeling there._

_"Are you just going to let your actions haunt your life, boy?" The man asks, wearing a black coat unbuttoned and hanging limply on his frame, disheveled hair sitting atop his head and framing his gray skin and golden eyes._

_"T-Tyki?" I ask, shaking. My knees decide they've had enough of supporting me and give out underneath me, so I land on my knees, heart pounding. Everything looks frozen, except for the man and myself._

_"Close, but not quite." He chuckles. "We've met before, but I'm surprised you've forgotten me so quickly."_

_"N-Neah..." I can only manage his name, blinking my golden eyes at him as I continue to shake._

_"I thought my brother'd taught you better than that, Allen." He mutters, kneeling in front of me and tapping my head with his index finger. I continue to stare up at him. "What you don't desire, you can destroy. I thought you'd know that - ah, serves me right for thinking you'd know everything off the bat." He puts his left hand's fingers to his head, sighing. "You have the power to destroy anything, even unwanted memories. Don't make me regret letting you live - I'm doing it for Mana, because he wanted you to live."_

_I just blink at him as he gives me a small smile._

_"You may want to rid yourself of those things behind you before they get here." He suggests. I numbly shake my head, looking to my knees._

_"I... I can't. I'm... frightened of what's happening to me." I say, and I realize that those words are true, but I would have never thought of it if I was awake. Maybe that's why I feel so... detached, as if two sides of me are fighting. One wants blood, another wants peace._

_"You do realize you can have both, right?" He sighs, looking at me out of the corner of his eyes. "If you're scared of what's happening to you, you will loose your sanity and, eventually, control over your powers. Whether you like it or not, Allen, you're a Destroyer. It's up to you to decide how you want to use that power." He looks behind me at something. "Think about that while you're sleeping. I won't always be here to help you out of your hauntings, but for today, I'll make an exception."_

_He offers me one last smile, the sort of smile I remember Mana giving me when I was scared, before everything around me - Neah, the corpses, the moon, everything - melts away, until I'm left in darkness. I only realize I'd been holding my breath when I let it out shakily._

_-x- Why my heart is so broken, rejecting your love -x-_

Something shifts beside me, and I groggily open up my eyes, blinking away the remains of sleep as I surpress a yawn. I sit up, looking to Rhode who's sitting on her knees on the ground, head lying near where mine had been as she sleeps, breathing softly. The sight makes me smile, and casting a glance around me, I find Tyki sitting on a chair near the fireplace that still burns gently, probably having kept Rhode company. He has a bandage wrapped around his arm, but I can already tell the wound is probably all healed up just by looking at the blood-free bandage. Looking back to Rhode and frowning when I realize that she looks _really_ uncomfortable like that, as her neck is bent at an angle that probably hurts her. I sigh, rolling my eyes inwardly as I pick her up and place her down where I was. Subconsciously, she turns onto her side and curls up into a ball, making me realize just how like a child she can be.

I silently walk out of the room, making sure to close the door quietly behind me. The faint lighting around me in the hallway casts the same eerie shadows around me, but they don't bother me as much anymore. Feeling well rested for once I walk down the red and black checkered ground, glancing around me as I walk, just aimlessly walking around, more for something to do than anything else. Beside me, someone falls into step as I walk, and I keep my eyes to the checkered ground, where the small tendrils of darkness spread over the floor gently. The particles of darkness move when my foot passes through them, only to reconnect behind me.

"The Earl wants to see you." A Noah I don't recognize too well tells me, turning to the fork in the hallway afterwards. I pause and frown at him.

_Anti-social much...?_ I ask myself, but really, I can't blame the person. I shrug, pushing a strand of white hair from my eyes as I continue on my way, hearing the sounds of conversation behind the door. With a sick feeling creeping up my throat, I let my gloved hand fall onto the handle, and hesitant in my actions, I turn the nowhere-near-offending handle and step inside.

_-x- Yami o hiraku eikou to hikikae ni, mamorubeki mono o ushinattekita -x-_

Mouhahaha...ahahaha... haha... hah.

Half-assed cliffhanger!

I'm sorry for the lameness... I really want to continue writing The Lost Ones so I can get to The Sacrifice of Time already, because that's where all the awesome crap is going to go down, but I gotta pace myself. If I go too fast my fun idea for Albestör will fly away! T^T Litterally.

Anyways, thanks for the patience! I will be trying my best to balance my finals and fanfiction, as well as my job (I'm sorry though, but if I can't, please know my profession takes priority...)

_Meet my friends! We got The Perv, Smiley, otherwise known as my perverted friend; we got the-one-missing-a-filter-between-her-brain-and-mouth, Beat, otherwise known as my friend who doesn't know the important difference and the thin line between the thoughts you say out loud, and the thoughts you keep to yourself (how else would our twelve-and-a-half hobos have gotten started?); and we got the Brainiac, Giggles, who is the one to turn to when we got a math problem (or if you're looking for a good Matrix moment)._

**_Smiley: Where's your fifty inches, Marie-Ange?_**

**_Me: I don't know what you're talking about. *Huffs*_**

**_Beat: *Little laugh* He probably wasn't good last night._**

**_*Awkward silence with a record of 3.5 seconds*_**

**_Me: That's not something you say out loud..._**

**_Giggles: I see the filter has gone defective again..._**

**_Smiley: Be patient for the next part, or I'll stalk you, find your house, and hide Pedo-Bear and that Jason dude in your closet. And no one will ever hear you scream..._**

**_Me: Seriously, she's not kidding. She's a sadistic girl!_**

**_Smiley: What was that? Should I bring out the six-inch needle again?_**

**_Me: Nope! I'm fine! I said nothing!_**


End file.
